A New Day
by Eternally Lost in Sorrow
Summary: Happy meets a woman with a horrible past. Her outlook on life catches his eye.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first attempt at a Sons of Anarchy fic, so be gentle. **

**Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for betaing this for me**

**Disclaimer for entire fic: I own nothing except Charlie, Azalia, Carson and anyone related to them. Kurt Sutter is a genius.**

Most days Charlotte Ryzdale, better known as Charlie, was very even tempered but today was not one of those days. The thirty year old had officially blown a gasket.

"What do you mean you broke the truck? You've had the damn thing less than a month! What the hell happened?"

"Well me and Lucas…" came through the phone before… "YOU LET LUCAS DRIVE AFTER I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU NOT TOO?"

"Mom calm down please. You can yell at me later please just get me a tow."

"AZALIA ANN RYZDALE! You will not speak that way to me! I'll get you a tow where the fuck are you?" Charlie asked breathing very deeply.

"Ummm…." Charlie heard Azalia saying something and a boy's voice answer, "I-90 by Lodi. We're on the side of the road.

"Lodi? I do believe I told you not to take the truck out of Charming. So guess what babe, you're gonna be lucky to see the light of day for the rest of the summer." The responding groan made her laugh. "See you soon my darling daughter." Charlie snapped the phone shut and promptly began rubbing her temples. _I love my daughter I love my daughter I love my daughter I love my daughter _repeated over and over in her head as she flipped her phone open. Scrolling through her contacts, she brushed her long red and black streaked hair out of her face. She pressed send and listened to the ringing before a woman's voice came over the line "Teller-Morrow."

"Hi I need to call in a tow for my dumbass daughter who, in her words, broke her truck."

"Sure thing where's it at?" asked the woman.

"I-90 by Lodi. I'll meet the truck at the garage. You happen to have a sledgehammer there?" Charlie asked casually, lighting up a cigarette. The silence on the other end of the line made her smile slightly as she blew out smoke.

"Probably." The woman said.

"Okay fantastic. Thanks." The phone snapped shut. She sighed as she crossed her living room to grab her purse. Taking a deep drag of her cigarette, she caught glimpse of herself in the mirror. She wasn't too bad looking, at least in her own opinion. Waist length red hair, streaked with black, bangs falling in to green eyes, a petite, straight nose leading down to a full mouth complete with a perfect cupid's bow. She shook herself before grabbing her purse and calling up the stairs,

"Carson! I'm going out; I want your homework done by the time I get home. There are snacks in the fridge and do not under any circumstances destroy anything. I'm not putting up with you and your sister's bullshit both today. Got it?" She heard a muffled "Yeah mom," from the eleven year old before walking out the front door.

She turned the engine over as her phone started ringing. Looking at the caller I.D. she grimaced before saying,

"Hello darling daughter. What do you want?"

"Mom the tow guys are here from Teller Morrow. They're scary as shit." Azalia's voice burst over the line.

"I'm really not in the mood to hear you bitch at the moment. Call me when I get my give a shit fixed."

"God mom can't you just be nice to me for once." The seventeen year old whined.

"I'm always nice to you, but guess what baby doll you done fucked up deal with it. Now hop you little ass in that truck. I will meet you at the repair shop." Charlie hung up on her squawking teen and sighed.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Hap. How you doin' brother?" Happy turned at the sound of his president's voice.

"Not bad." Happy replied shortly looking around at the sound of heels clicking on the ground.

"Clay we got a tow coming in and you might wanna handle this one yourself." Gemma Teller-Morrow said as she approached her husband. "Hey Happy. How are you?"

"Not bad."

"Why do I need to handle this one?" Clay asked as he leaned over to kiss his wife.

"I've got a pissed off mom on her way over here asking for a sledgehammer and it sounded like Charlie Ryzdale." Gemma smirked as she walked away. "Have fun."

"Shit. That makes for a great day." Clay groaned.

"What's wrong with the bitch?" Happy asked.

"One never call that woman a bitch, two she's too much like my wife." Hap raised an eyebrow at Clay's statement. "She's impossible to say no too." Happy laughed as he walked towards the SOA clubhouse. A couple of crow eaters waved as he passed but he just blew by them. Tig walked out as Happy approached the door.

"Hap! How are you bro?" Tig asked.

"Not bad." Happy replied, "How're things in Charming?"

"Oh man, life is great. Great pussy, good business, good money. What's there to complain about huh?" Tig said with a grin. Happy smirked.

"Not much apparently."

"What's Clay doing?" Tig asked looking around Happy.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Charlie! How can I help you sweetheart?" Clay asked jovially as he approached the red head climbing out of her bright red ford Escape.

"You got a sledgehammer?" She replied shortly.

"Yeah?" He replied cautiously.

"Great. Where's Gemma?" Clay stared at her before pointing to the office. "Thanks!"

Charlie walked straight in "Gemma I'm gonna kill her."

"Oh sweetie, no you won't. She's seventeen; everyone does stupid shit when they're seventeen." Gemma replied sympathetically.

"Yes I will. I just got her that truck a month ago and she let this idiot she has a crush on drive it and he blew the engine," Charlie said, " I told her Gemma I told her not to let him drive it and she did it anyway now I'm stuck with a repair bill. Goddamnit!" Charlie ranted leaning over to hug the biker queen.

"Oh honey. How are things otherwise?"

"Good. Carson is doing great in school, he loves the sixth grade. Azalia is in the honor society though some days I wonder why. Ugh. I was never this dumb when I was seventeen. Never." She said as she sat down.

"Baby when you were seventeen you had responsibilities she doesn't. While that's not your fault it doesn't change the fact that she's a normal pain in the ass teenager." Gemma said, offering Charlie a smoke which she gratefully accepted.

"I dunno Gemma. I just don't know." Charlie sighed.

"Do you need any help with anything Gemma?" A deep voice rasped out from the doorway. Charlie stared openly at the tall man in the doorway. The worn out leather cut and baggy jeans to his tan skin caught her attention. But it was his eyes that really captivated her. Very dark brown almost to the point of being black, they seemed to see right through her, all her dark secrets exposed to him. She trailed her eyes down his strong straight nose to his surprisingly full mouth. Gemma watched Charlie's face as she answered,

"Yeah. Can you take a look at the truck that's being towed in right now?" Gemma said, a slight smile as Charlie visibly shook herself and stood up.

"Oh goody. Time to be the bad mom." She said brushing past Happy. Happy looked at Gemma surprised. Gemma just laughed as she too brushed past the man. Placing her sunglasses over her eyes, Charlie strode over to the tow truck.

"Azalia Ann what were you thinking disobeying me like this?" The teen squeaked and hid behind the boy who had just climbed out of the truck.

"Lucas I suggest you march your ass home and take the beating your momma's gonna give you when she gets this repair bill." Charlie said, glaring at him.

The boy cowered before her before saying "yes ma'am" and taking off running off the lot.

"Traitor!" Azalia shouted after him, left to face her mother's wrath on her own.

"Phone." Charlie said lowly,

"Mom… Please…" Azalia begged.

"NOW!" Charlie snarled. The trembling teen handed the phone over. Charlie marched away.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy watched as the woman marched across the lot. She was a sight. Long red hair streaked with black, all curves poured in to slim fit jeans, a black shirt, and stiletto ankle boots. He couldn't help but watch her yelling at Lowell to find her "a damn sledgehammer" before snatching it from the poor man and stalking back toward the teen girl still standing by the tow truck. He watched as the woman laid the phone on the ground said, something to her daughter, then smashed the phone all to hell.

"How could you, your fucking psychopath! That phone is my lifeline! Are you insane?" Azalia screamed at her mother.

"You'll just have to get a job and buy a new one on your own. And keep sassing me, little girl. You won't leave the house 'til you're thirty." Charlie snapped back, handing the sledgehammer off to Jax, the poor guy having arrived just in time to witness the smashing of the poor phone.

"I HATE YOU!" Azalia screamed before stomping off to a picnic table. Charlie sighed.

"Well that was something." Jax said casually, trying to gauge Charlie's mood.

"God, that girl… You just wait Jax, yours isn't even born yet and I'm telling you enjoy the time they're kids 'cause when they hit puberty it's like getting hit with a Mack truck." Charlie said, looking at Jax.

"I can wait. And I remember you in high school, you weren't exactly innocent yourself." He replied.

"Yeah but I didn't get to be a normal high school student. Most freshmen didn't go home to an 18 month old and now look what she's doing to me." Charlie shook her head. Jax chuckled and reached out. She wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug.

"God I've missed you midget." He said, hugging her tighter.

She shoved him and smiled.

"One I'm not short, I'm fun sized!" she said chuckling. "Two you could come visit me, I don't exactly disappear under a rock when I leave here." She said, smirking.

"Jax!" That raspy voice called out. The tall biker approached them.

"Whose your friend Jax?" Charlie asked looking over the rim of her sunglasses.

"Happy. Hap meet Charlie. Our favorite hellion." Jax said.

"Nice to meet you." Charlie said, smiling.

"Same." Happy said.

"Well I'd better take the prima donna home. Carson's doing homework and I've got to check it or he'll half ass it and I'll get a call from the teacher." Charlie said, turning to leave. "Good seeing you Jax, don't be a stranger. Nice meeting you Happy." She kissed Jax on the cheek and walked to the office. Jax turned to Happy to catch him watching her walk away.

"Dude, don't even. She's not a crow eater." He chuckled.

"What's her deal bro?" Hap rasped out.

"Tell you what. You get close enough to her and you can ask. That ain't my place." Jax clapped him on the shoulder and walked off. Happy turned and watched Charlie drive off with the sullen teenager in the passenger seat. He shook his head and walked into the clubhouse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks everyone. I'm shocked by the reaction I've gotten. **

**Thanks to my lovely beta Kateriina Sofia**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

The next morning, Charlie woke up to the sound of her children arguing.

"Sis! Get out of the bathroom you've been in there half an hour. I have to get ready for school!"Carson hollered through the bathroom door.

"Carson, just use my bathroom baby." Charlie called, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She heard Azalia open the door and a smack as the teen hit her brother.

"AZALIA! You're already on my shit list, don't make it worse." Charlie hollered sleepily. Carson trotted into her room.

"Thanks mom. The creature in there is taking forever." Carson said, kissing Charlie on the cheek.

"Be nice. She's your sister." She said, shooing him to the bathroom and climbing out of bed. "What time is it?"

"7:30." Carson cheerily called from the bathroom. Charlie's eyes went wide, "Really?"

Charlie darted around the room, trying to find clothes that were remotely presentable. Carson walked out of the bathroom, watching his mom run around like a chicken with her head cut off.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Trying to at least look halfway decent before taking you kids to school this morning, now go get some breakfast." Charlie said locating the shirt she was looking for. Quickly changing clothes, she walked out of her room and down the hall to the kid's bathroom.

"Hurry up, Z. You're gonna be late for school." She said, pounding on the door. She heard the blow dryer start up. Sighing she walked downstairs and hung a left, finding the kitchen. Carson was sitting at the island, pouring Fruity Pebbles© into a bowl.

"Coffee's ready, mom." Carson said, taking a bite. She heard his feet swinging and kicking the underside of the counter. Charlie dumped two packets of hot chocolate in a mug and stirred the coffee in. She turned and sat on a stool. Azalia walked into the kitchen, stonily ignoring her mother. Carson finished his cereal and took his bowl to the sink, bumping Azalia on the way. She smacked him upside the head.

"Azalia. Keep it up." Charlie said sipping her coffee. "You're already grounded for four months and you have no phone. Wanna make it worse?" Azalia glared at her while Carson snickered.

The teenager grabbed pop tarts out of the cupboard. Shoving them in the toaster, she turned to her mother.

"I hate you. Why can't you just leave me alone?" she snapped. Charlie chuckled.

"You love me. Get over it. Carson, time check." The over tired woman said.

"7:50." He replied.

"Backpacks. Let's move." Charlie said, pouring her coffee into a travel mug. The three trooped through the living room picking up backpacks and purses along the way.

She dropped Carson off first. Azalia still refuse to speak to her mother, who just smirked and lit a cigarette.

"You just don't get it do you?" Charlie said. "You can be mad all you want but that doesn't change the fact that you screwed up. When you have a kid you'll understand that sometimes being a bitch is necessary."

Azalia said nothing staring out the passenger window as they continued towards the high school. Charlie took a drag off her smoke, and slowed to a stop at a red light. The two heard the rumble of a motorcycle and turned to look. A single rider was coming up the driver's side. Judging by the leather, it was one of the Sons. Charlie looked a little closer and realized it was the Son Jax had introduced her to, Happy. He stopped and looked over at her. She smiled a little and raised a hand in greeting, him returning the gesture.

Azalia watched a little surprised. _Mom never shows interest in guys, not since Jesse. Wonder what this guy has to catch her eye._ The light turned green and Happy took off, gunning the engine. Charlie chuckled and took off herself, taking a right and pulling into the high school. Azalia jumped out and stormed off without even saying goodbye to her mother. Charlie sighed.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy rode through Charming on his way back to Teller-Morrow. Pulling up to a stop light, he looked over and saw the crazy redhead from the day before, Charlie. She smiled softly at him and waved at him. He raised a hand in greeting and took off at the green light, gunning his engine. Glancing back he saw her laugh and smirked.

The garage was busy when he arrived, Clay already barking orders out to the guys. He parked his bike and walked over to the garage. Chibs greeted him by handing him a wrench with a short "we're shorthanded, geht ta work. Clay's orders."

Sighing, Happy took his cut off and walked over to the nearest bike on a jack to start working. He heard a cage pull up but didn't turn to look.

"Chibsy! How are you darling?" A female's voice called out as a car door slammed. Chibs left Happy to the bike and greeted the woman. Happy turned to see the red head.

"Hap! Come meet Charlie." Chibs called. Happy set the wrench down and walked out of the garage.

"We've met." Charlie said. Happy continued his slow walk up to the pair.

"Whehn?" Chibs asked.

"Yesterday." Hap said. Charlie paused, his deep raspy voice sending a shiver down her spine.

"Well why didn't you say so Charlie girl?" Chibs asked, watching her closely.

"You didn't ask. Did anyone get a chance to check out my dumbass daughter's truck?" She asked, still watching Happy through her sunglasses.

"No. I'll go look now." Happy rasped out. He left Chibs and Charlie standing there.

"You don't want any of that darlin'." Chibs said. Charlie laughed.

"I know the score. No guy here wants a girl like me. Too much baggage and all that shit. I'm not looking for a man Chibsy, you know that. Even if I did my terrors would get rid of any guy without a problem." Charlie said, a sad smile crossing her face. Chibs hugged her.

"Darlin' I only meant dat Happy doesn't exactly stick around. He comes and goes as he pleases or as the club wishes." He said, squeezing her tightly before releasing her. "I've got ta geht back to work; Gemma's in the clubhouse if you want ta go see her."

"Alright." Charlie said, heading that direction.

As she entered the clubhouse, the smell of the place assaulted her. Her distain must have shown on her face because Gemma laughed.

"Beer, cigarettes, and pussy not your favorite smell sweetheart?" She said. Charlie went over and hugged her before sitting down at the bar.

"Hell no, but it's tolerable I suppose. Must have been a party recently, am I right?" Charlie asked pulling her cigarettes out of her purse.

"Yeah Friday night like always. You should come sometime. Get out of the house and away from the kids. Be a nice break." Gemma said, waving smoke out of her face. "Do you have to smoke those damn menthols?"

"Don't diss my bitch cigarettes. I can't stand the full flavored and lately this is all that stands between my kids and death." Charlie said inhaling deeply. Gemma chuckled.

"Rough morning?"

"What makes you say that?" Charlie said, watching the biker queen.

"Baby as cute as those sweatpants are, they are not your usual look." Gemma replied, snagging the ashtray from the far end of the bar.

"Yeah woke up late this morning. I don't have to work 'til noon so I figured what the hell. Not looking to impress anyone." Charlie said, looking down at herself. Jogging pants, tennis shoes, and a tank top didn't look bad though Gemma was right, not her usual look.

"What are you doing here this early anyway?" The queen asked.

"Checking to see if anyone got to look at the truck last night." Charlie replied purposely blowing smoke in Gemma's face, which earned her a dirty look.

"Charlie." A raspy voice called from the doorway. Charlie and Gemma turned to see Happy gesturing for Charlie to follow him.

"How bad is it?" Charlie said as she hopped off the stool. Happy shook his head and Charlie sighed.

"Great. Better go Gem. I'll see you later." She said.

"Bye hun." Gemma said dismissively. Charlie followed Happy out to where the truck was.

"You have a couple problems all fixable, but not cheap." He said.

"Ballpark it for me." Charlie said, obviously not thrilled.

"Bout a grand." Happy replied. Charlie sighed.

"Fan-fucking-tastic." She took the last drag off her cigarette before violently throwing it to ground and stomping on it.

"At least it'll be fixed." He said, watching her reactions. He saw her shiver a little, that caught his attention.

"Guess I better grab her shit 'cause you guy's'll have this for a while. I can't afford to pay it all at once." She said walking around to the driver's door. He heard her mumbling and walked to the now open driver's door. He opened his mouth to say something but was distracted rather quickly. Charlie was bent over the seat pulling random crap off the passenger floorboard and the sight of her ass caught him off guard. _Damn _he thought_ she has a fine ass and tits to match. _He continued watching her as she pulled a bag out of the bed of the truck and unceremoniously shoved everything into it.

"Well thanks Happy. Give me a call when it's done. I'll see what I can figure out to pay ya'll." She said, reaching out to shake his hand. Happy took it surprised. She walked back to the clubhouse and he went to the garage. Chibs approached him.

"Brother, dat is noht your normal woman. She's noht a crow eater. Noht one man here has touched her for a reason. Tread lightly." The Scots said, severely watching the Nomad. Happy just stared at him. Chibs sighed as he walked back to the sedan he was working on.

Charlie walked into the clubhouse to see a Son had joined Gemma at the bar. Judging from the hair, it was Bobby. Charlie grinned and went over and hugged him.

"How ya doin' darlin'?" Bobby asked returning the hug. Charlie released him and sat down on the stool next to his. She just stared blankly at him.

"I hate teenagers." She said, blankly. Gemma and Bobby chuckled.

"I told you sweetie, normal seventeen year old." Gemma told her. Charlie just sighed and pulled her phone out of the purse.

"Shit I gotta run. Good seeing you two. Call me when the truck is ready." She said, picking up her purse. She kissed Bobby on the cheek and gave Gemma a hug before walking out the door.

"She's got a thing for Hap." Gemma said to Bobby, smirking slightly. Bobby went wide-eyed.

"You shittin' me?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Fortunately I'm not. She caught a look at him yesterday and I thought she was going to need a fan to cool her off. I'm not sure what to make of it." The queen said, gauging the secretary's reaction.

"Shit, Hap wouldn't know how to treat a woman like her. She's fragile." He said pouring himself a drink. Gemma took the bottle away.

"Jesus Christ Bobby, it's not even nine in the morning." She said.

"So?" He asked. "Where's Clay?"

"In the office. I haven't decided if I'm ready to go over there just yet. Make him suffer a little. Helps him appreciate me." Gemma said with a smirk. Bobby just chuckled.

Happy was working diligently on the Honda Shadow someone had brought in. He had cringed when Clay had hollered for him to work on it but obeyed his president. Someone had laid this bike over a few times, and it needed help. Clay came over to check the progress on it. Happy gave him a rundown before pausing.

"What's up with the red head?" He asked, Clay's eyebrows rising.

"Charlie?" Clay replied. "Depends on what you mean."

"Well, it's not normal for me to get warned off a bitch." Happy said, watching his president. Clay sighed.

"How old do you think she is?" The MC president asked, watching his killer.

Happy was surprised, he hadn't expected that. Pondering that he opened his mouth to say,

"Thirty five thirty six. Though she looks younger. But she's got a teenager." He said warily.

"Thirty and her oldest is seventeen." Clay said. Happy's face went blank. _How the hell, she was, shit, thirteen when she had her first kid. What the fuck? _

Clay watched Happy process what he had just heard. "Blow your mind, don't it?" The older man said. Happy just looked at him.

"Charlie's been hurt Hap. She's not a crow eater. If anything she's not MC material. She's the kinda girl you take out on cheesy dates and spend time with her kids and you don't jump into bed with her right of the bat either." Clay said before walking away, leaving the killer to his thoughts.

Happy just went back to work, thinking on what Clay had said. He soon got lost in the work, but snapped out of his trance when he heard a voice call for him. He looked over to see Charlie in the bay door. She smiled at him.

"Just wanted to say thanks again for taking a look at the truck. Takes some of the headache away knowing right away." Charlie said, running her fingers through her hair. Happy watched as her hair fell back to her waist.

"No big deal." He rasped back. He saw the shiver in her body before she smiled briefly and walked away and climbed in her Escape.

Charlie smiled as she pulled out of the lot. _God he is fucking sexy. All tattooed muscle and that sexy voice and the eyes you could just drown in. Mmm! _A frown replaced the smile. _Too bad he'd never be interested in me._


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so surprised at how many people have put me on Story Alert and reviewed. Thank you for all the support. **

**I do want to say that Charlie is a mass of contradictions. I'm trying to avoid making her mary-sue in the slightest. I don't want her to be an assassin or have a crazy ex after her. She does have a past that has been mentioned but not exposed yet and I want to keep her the same as she's started. She's frustrated with her daughter and dreading her son entering puberty. And you have to remember she's a young mom, not necessarily prepared for everything parenthood is throwing at her. Just wanted to let everyone know that her past will be exposed, just not yet and that yeah she's always cursing at her kid, but that's just how she's dealing with a teenager.**

**Thanks to the lovely Kateriina Sofia for betaing for me.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Happy stayed in Charming for the rest of the week. Tig had wanted him to stick around for the Friday night party and he didn't exactly have anything better to do. He found himself out riding a lot. Took him a couple days to figure out he was looking for something, or rather someone. Charlie had been running around his head and no pussy had been able to get her out.

He'd seen her twice during the week, once when she was out picking up her kids, and again heading into a grocery store. Each time, he paused just watching her. He couldn't understand how this bitch had gotten under his skin. Maybe it was 'cause he had been told he couldn't have her. That had never gone over well before why would that change now.

Currently, he was tossing back drinks at the bar in the clubhouse.

"Prospect!" He said, raising his glass. The kid ran over to fill his glass. Kip, or rather Half-Sack, was a good kid. Knew when to keep his mouth shut and not ask questions, even if he was a little high-strung. Tig walked out of the dorms and joined Happy at the bar.

"Half-Sack, get me a beer." He said. Looking over at the club's killer, Tig chuckled.

"This gash has got you all sorts of twisted. What the fuck, man?" he said. Happy just watched him blankly.

"Oh don't even try man. It's fucking obvious she got under your skin." Tig said plainly.

"Whatever man." Was all the reply he got.

"You gotta do something, man. Get laid, fight someone somethin' She's untouchable." Tig said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Happy said stonily.

"She won't let anyone in. At all." Tig replied, watching the killer's reactions. Happy just got up and left the clubhouse.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie sighed as she left her work. She owned a small boutique on Main Street not too far from Floyd's Barber shop. It wasn't anything big but it was where she met Gemma Teller and Clay Morrow. Poor man had been dragged in by his wife one day two years past, so she could go shopping.

_Charlie looked up at the sound of a couple arguing. The man was making it very clear he did not under any circumstances want to be in this "pussy ass shit hole." Charlie cleared her throat loudly at those words. The man paused and raised an eyebrow as if he was saying, "Can I help you?"_

"_Hi. I'm Charlie. I own this pussy ass shit hole. Do you need help finding anything?" She said, smiling sweetly. Gemma smirked at the expression on Clay's face. _

"_No we don't we were just leaving." He said unimpressed with her cheeky attitude._

"_No we weren't you were." Gemma said, turning to Charlie. "Just looking around sweetheart. Anything to recommend?" _

"_Of course." Charlie said leading Gemma deeper into the store. Clay just began grumbling and walked out._

Charlie had spent the whole morning unloading merchandise with her one employee, Caroline. Caroline was a twenty two year old tiny blonde girl who had walked in one day and never left. Now Charlie was leaving the store in her care for the afternoon.

She had just climbed into her car when her phone rang. She tapped at the screen without even checking the caller I.D.

"Hello?"

"Charlie." Gemma's voice came over the line. Charlie sighed, fearing what was about to happen.

"Hi Gemma. Whatcha need?" Charlie asked, falsely cheerful.

"Just informing you that the prospect is going to be on guard duty tonight for you so you are coming to the party at the clubhouse." Gemma said simply, though her tone left no room for argument.

"Guard duty?" Charlie asked fearfully.

"Babysitting. He's gonna come stay with the kids for you so you can come to the party tonight." Gemma said plainly. "I'll be there at eight to pick you up. Wear something sexy, your eye candy will be there tonight."

"Eye candy." Charlie squawked, eyes wide. Gemma simply hung up the phone.

"Shit! Shit shit shit!" Charlie snapped out. She quickly drove home and started diving through her closet.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Gemma grinned as she hung up the phone. Everyone else may think that Happy needed to stay fifty yards away from Charlie at all times but that girl needed some happiness and if she wanted Happy, well Gemma would just have to help with that.

Clay walked into the office. "Everything set for tonight? Vegas and Indian Hills are coming up and we got Nomads too."

"Kozik called. He, Lorca, and Bully are coming down. He said he had something to talk to you about." Jax stopped in the office door.

"Everything is set on my end. Now I'm bringing Charlie tonight. I want you guys to help keep the idiots off of her." Gemma said sifting through another stack of invoices.

Jax and Clay exchanged looks. "Are you serious?" Clay asked.

"Yeah mom. We all know this shit ain't for her." Jax said, incredulously. Gemma sighed.

"Well fine, I'll just uninvite her and let her stay at home alone with her kids… again. I'm sure she'll appreciate that." She said sadly. Clay and Jax falling right into her plan.

"Jesus Gemma. Fine. You stay close to her and we'll keep the men away." Clay conceded.

"I love you." She said, smiling broadly.

"Yeah yeah." Clay said, leaving the office. Jax began laughing.

"What?" His mother asked.

"Does he know how much you play him?" Jax asked.

"Yeah but he just lets it happen." She said, looking at the clock. "Oh gotta run. I'm gonna go help Charlie get ready and prepare her for tonight."

"Shit mom it's only three."

"So? She's probably out picking up her kids at the moment which means she's gonna need help corralling them 'til the prospect gets there." She said.

"Prospect? You're making him babysit for her?" Jax asked.

"Yeah. Is that wrong?" Gemma said with a slight smirk. Jax just shook his head.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie had ripped her closet apart, looking for the right outfit, but she was faced with an unusual problem for her. She couldn't find a single thing to wear. Her kids would be home soon and although she had showered and blow dried her hair, she was standing in her robe at a loss.

The doorbell rang. Charlie dashed down the stairs. Looking through the peephole, she saw Gemma.

She ripped the door open with an "Oh thank God." Gemma raised an eyebrow.

"Problems?" She asked.

"Yes!" Charlie said, and dragged Gemma up to her room. Looking at the pile of clothes that covered the king sized bed, Gemma saw the problem.

"Can't find anything to wear tonight huh?" She said, grinning.

"God no. I've gone through anything but I have no idea what to put on that doesn't make me one of the sluts but isn't too… conservative." Charlie said, glancing desperately at the mountain of clothes on the bed.

"Good thing I'm here then." Gemma said, lightly. She began sorting through clothes looking for anything that would be suitable.

"I was thinking this maybe?" Charlie said, picking up a pair of black leggings and a silver slim fit top that was long enough to cover to mid thigh. Gemma eyed the outfit critically.

"Like the top, not the bottoms. Try these instead." The queen said flinging a pair of black skinny jeans at her. Charlie walked into the bathroom and began changing.

"So why are you so interested in looking hot tonight?" Gemma casually asked, starting to put clothes back on hangers while she waited.

"I don't know. I haven't been out in forever. It'll be nice to get away from the kids and be somewhat normal. Get back some of my twenties' I missed having kids." Charlie laughed.

"Really? I thought it might have something to do with our Happy friend." Gemma said continuing to hang clothes up, grinning at the stuttering erupting from the bathroom.

"I-I have n-no idea wh-what you're talking about." Charlie stammered out. She walked out of the bathroom. Gemma looked over and smiled.

"Well, whoever you're not trying to impress will have to pick his jaw up off the ground when you show up wearing that." She said, watching as Charlie blushed.

"Are you sure? I really don't have the stomach for it anymore. Not since Carson." Gemma walked over and looked to see what she meant.

"Oh honey, that is not something to be ashamed of. And some guys find that sexy." Gemma said trying to cheer her up. Charlie looked again.

"I guess it's not too bad." She said, turning to the side and looking over herself.

"You look hot. You'll blow all those skanks away from the man you're not trying to impress with no problem." Gemma said smirking.

Charlie heard the kids coming in the house. The arguing loud enough to be heard up the flight of stairs.

"Quit being such a douche!" Azalia shouted. Carson laughed.

"It's not my fault I busted you sucking face with Jordan." He said before making kissing noises.

"Well there went my night." Charlie said sighing.

"What do you mean? You're not getting out of this." Gemma insisted.

"I'm not gonna sick my terrors on the prospect. Are you kidding? He wouldn't last an hour with Z. Carson would be fine but my lovely sullen teenager I don't think so." Charlie scoffed. Gemma crossed her arms and stared her down. "UGH! Fine but when the prospect comes tearing out of my house like a bat out of hell at the end of the night, I'm gonna say I told you so."

Gemma just laughed and went downstairs to see the hellions in action. She watched them continue to argue for a few minutes before clearing her throat loudly. The two stopped and stared at her.

"Your mom's going out tonight. Someone's coming over to keep you from blowing the house up." She said, staring the two down. They instantly started complaining about having a babysitter, but Gemma would have none of it. She wasn't the biker queen for nothing. All she did was narrow her eyes, and the two stopped talking.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy walked out of the dorms of the clubhouse. The party was just getting started and he could already see the crow eaters out thick, many of them eying him. He brushed past them and approached Tig, who already had a brunette rubbing all over him. He laughed as the girl was promptly thrown off Tig who got up and led him over to a sofa.

"You gonna find a piece of ass tonight man?" Tig asked. "There's some prime pussy out there." Happy just smirked observing the sweetbutts' attempts to get his attention.

"Maybe." He said. Tig simply smirked before a blonde chick wearing next to nothing planted herself in his lap.

"Hey, go get us beers." Tig told her before pushing her off his lap. Happy saw a red head eying him, but he ignored her.

The blonde came back and handing over the beers she sat down next to Tig, who just looped an arm over her and continued talking to Happy.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie felt bad for the poor Prospect. As soon as he walked in the door, Azalia had hollered that he looked like a pussy and stormed to her room. Carson laughed at him then challenged him to a game of gears of war.

Gemma pushed Charlie out the door as she called for Carson to go easy on the guy.

"Let's go." Gemma said. They finally got headed to the clubhouse.

"Why are you making me do this Gem? You know this isn't my scene." Charlie said twirling a strand of hair.

"Because you haven't gone out since Jesse left and you need to. It's been six years Charlie." Gemma replied.

"I know. I've just been busy." Charlie said evasively.

"No you're just nervous. You've got a thing for Hap and you don't want to admit it." Gemma bluntly stated.

"I don't even know the guy Gemma! Really!" Charlie exclaimed.

"You know he's hot and you wanna fuck him. Why not go for it?" Gemma asked.

"You know the guys would shit a brick if they heard you talking like that about me. They all think I'm this porcelain doll and I'm not. But I also don't jump into bed with random guys either. I get pregnant to easily for that shit." Charlie said laughing.

"Well we're here so grow a set and have fun." Gemma said turning into the lot and parking. Charlie cringed before climbing out of the car. Gemma led her into the clubhouse.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy was watching a blonde crow eater on the stripper pole. He wasn't too interested in her but it kept Tig from bothering him about the red head who'd been occupying his thoughts the whole week. Turning at the sound of Gemma calling across the clubhouse for the crow eater tending bar to "get this girl a drink," he saw the very woman who had completely mind fucked him.

Charlie was walking up to the bar and she looked hot. A skin tight silver v-neck tank top that just barely covered her ass over a pair of black skinny jeans finished off with a pair open toed stiletto ankle boots. She had curled the ends of her hair into a thick mass and done that smoky eye thing with her make-up. Damn she looked completely fuckable and yet that wasn't what he wanted to do.

Happy got up off the sofa and approached the bar before he realized what he was doing. He paused mid stride and shook his head. He caught Gemma watching him out of the corner of his eye and scowled, continuing on towards the bar.

"Gimme a shot of Jack." He rasped out.

"Same here." A woman's voice said. Snapping his head to the left, he saw that he had walked up right next to Charlie.

The crow eater passed them their shots which Charlie raised to him before tossing it back without batting an eye. He nodded to her before tossing his back as well.

"How have you been, Happy?" Charlie asked her alto voice rasping a bit from the whiskey.

"Good. You?" he replied.

"Good. Night away from the kids is always good. Though I feel bad for the prospect." Charlie chuckled.

"The prospect?" Happy asked.

"Gemma made him go over and watch them so I could come out. You know keep Z from sneaking out and Carson from destroying anything." She said, trying to get the attention of the bartender to get another drink. Happy raised a hand for her and the girl approached.

"Whatcha need?" the brunette said leaning over to show him exactly what was down her shirt.

"Well one, you can stand up straight 'cause I don't _need _to see down your shirt. Two, I need two rooster tails." The crow eater's face twisted as she promptly stood straight and turned around to get what Charlie asked for.

"Wanting to get hammered?" Happy asked, slightly impressed with how she handled the bitch behind the bar.

"Nope you're doing this one with me." She said with a smirk. He raised his eyebrows. Who was she to tell him what he was going to do, but then he kinda liked that attitude. The bartender set their shot in front of them. Charlie picked up the tequila and tipped it toward him. He copied her actions, they slammed the tequila down followed quickly by the V8 then the orange juice. Charlie delicately wiped her upper lip and smiled up at Happy. Happy just watched as she reached into the top of her shirt and pulled out a cigarette case. Pulling out a cigarette, she patted her pockets.

"Shit. You got a lighter?" Charlie asked Happy. He reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his Zippo. She slid it from between his fingers and lit her smoke. She handed it back blowing out a stream of smoke.

"Well I'd better find Gemma. Thanks for the shot." Charlie slid the cigarette case into her bra and walked away.

Happy damn near gaped after her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks everyone for reading. I've found I'm loving writing this and the support I've gotten is amazing.**

**Thanks to my incredible beta, Kateriina Sofia.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

A broad smile crossed Charlie's face as she left Happy at the bar. She liked the feeling that she could still get a guy's attention even if it was only for a few minutes. She found a table inside the clubhouse and sat down to observe what was going on around her. Gemma walked over and sat down with her and lit a cigarette.

"Looks like you made an impression." The queen said watching the bar. "Clay about had an aneurism at the sight of you two."

"I'm not _trying _to impress anyone. I'm just enjoying my first night out in forever with some drinking and a little oogling. That's all." Charlie retorted. Sucking down another drag of her cigarette, she turned to the queen.

Blowing the smoke out her nose, she looked the queen dead in the eye. "Why is it such a big deal? It's not like he'd ever be truly interested in anything other than a piece of ass. He's a Nomad, I've seen the patch and I'm not retarded. I passed high school history. I know that means he won't be around. Why would he have any interest in a single mom of a hellish teenager and a kiss ass preteen who carries around enough emotional baggage to fill a barge?"

Gemma watched as she took another drag before slamming her fist down on the table.

"You know for someone who isn't _trying_ to impress anyone, you sure seem to want to impress someone." Gemma said, lightly, calling a crow eater over with nothing but a wave of her hand.

"We need two '78 Camaros." before sending the girl away.

"What the fuck did you just order us?" Charlie asked.

"Yukon, Captain, brandy, Pineapple juice, a little champagne, which they keep just for me, all mixed together," said Gemma matter-of-factly.

"Are you trying to get me shit-faced?" Charlie asked incredulously.

Gemma just laughed, "Lighten up sweetheart."

Jax joined them at the tables.

"How are you lovely ladies doing tonight?" he asked sitting down next to his mom. Charlie just laughed.

"It's a night out. I love it already," she said. Gemma smiled at her.

"I bet. You girls had anything to drink?" He asked looking at the color flushing up Charlie's cheeks.

"Couple shots at the bar." Charlie replied lightly. Jax shook his head,

"By yourself?" He asked. Charlie turned a whole new shade of scarlet.

"What is with you two and thinking I need someone?" She countered. She snatched the drink out of the crow eaters hands before the poor girl had even completely reached the table. Jax and Gemma watched as she chugged half the drink.

"Easy killer. Just asking is all." Jax said a little alarmed.

"She's just testy 'cause she wants Hap's dick and won't admit it." Gemma stated. Charlie's eyes went wide.

"Really?" Jax said a grin crossing his face. "Well that would explain why he's staring over here."

"He's what?" Charlie said, glancing towards the bar.

"Yeah he's been watching this table since you sat down." He said.

"Looks like Charlie's not the only one." Gemma said, smirking.

"I'm not interested in one night stands. You guys know that." Jax and Gemma exchanged a look.

"C'mon darlin' let's go outside." Jax said, standing and looping an arm over her shoulders. His move shoved all her hair to the side and she smacked him lightly on the chest.

"Careful, jerk." She said.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy watched as Jax slung an arm over Charlie's shoulder. He caught sight of a tattoo on the back of her neck as her hair moved, just before Jax's arm covered it. He saw Jax lead her outside before turning back to the bar. Tig approached him as he ordered another shot of Jack.

"Hey man, you up for a round in the ring?"

"Maybe later. Why? Who's pissed?" Happy asked throwing back the shot.

"I am. Pissed that you've got yourself all wrapped up in untouchable pussy." Tig said challengingly. Happy raised an eyebrow.

"Guess we'd better settle it then." He said. A crow eater came up on his left and ran a hand down his arm. He ignored her touch but didn't shake her off. Tig just chuckled and ordered himself a beer. The two men stood in comfortable silence for a while. Neither feeling the need to speak.

Happy was lost in his thoughts. _Why is this bitch still running through my head? I know she's sexy as fuck but she's got kids. She can drink like a man but still blushes like a school girl. And what is that tattoo on the back of her neck. I wonder what other ink she's got and where. Ugh! _He shook his head violently and glanced up at the clock. It was already ten thirty. He nudged Tig then headed outside.

He walked to the ring and took off his cut. Cheers and hollers erupted around him as he shed his shirt. Tig joined him at the ring. The two quickly shed their shirts before climbing in. Clay and Bobby stood the ringside. Happy bounced on the balls of his feet as he rolled his head. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jax bringing the redhead that had occupied Happy's thoughts over to the ring. He smirked at her before focusing on Tig. Tig charged and swung. Happy ducked and landed a shot in Tig's stomach.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie was a little stunned when Jax took her by the arm and led her over to the boxing ring. Her jaw dropped at the sight in front of her. Happy was shirtless and that was a sight no living female could look away from. Her eyes rolled over his body taking in the tattoos, the way his muscles were rolling as him and Tig took shots at each other. Jax glanced at her face before laughing and turning back to the fight.

"Quit drooling midget." He said. She started at his voice, turning away from the fight.

"What?" She asked.

He said nothing, just looked back at the ring where the fight continued on. She blushed and lit up a cigarette, parting her lips to let the smoke roll out. She heard a loud "Oh!" roll through the crowd that had popped up around the ring and she turned to see Happy reeling from the hit.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy dodged another blow from the SAMCRO Sergeant At Arms. He grinned at him, "Come on." He said.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlie. She had just started smoking and all he saw was her lips parting and smoke rolling out her mouth. He froze and Tig landed a shot right on his jaw. Happy reeled back head officially back in the fight. He and Tig exchanged a few more blows before Clay sent Bobby into the ring to break it up. Happy and Tig shared a brief hug before hopping out of the ring.

Happy started pulling shirts back on as the crow eaters began flocking around him. He ignored them and pulled his cut back on. He watched Charlie laugh at something Jax said before approaching the two.

"Jax." He said in greeting.

"Hey Hap. What's up?" Jax replied easily. Happy shrugged one shoulder and looked at Charlie who was pointedly looking away from him.

"You owe me a drink." He told her. She looked at him wide eyed. Jax held back a chuckle at the look she gave him.

"I do?" She said, softly.

"Yeah." He said. "Let's go." He wrapped in arm around her waist and led her into the clubhouse. Jax just stared after them. Opie walked up to him and asked,

"What is that about?"

"I have no idea."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy took Charlie straight to the bar.

"Two bear fuckers." He said to the girl behind the bar. At this point most of the Sons in the room were sneaking glances at the pair. No one had seen Happy like this in a long time. Charlie was a mystery in a lot of ways and no one could ever tell which way her head was going. She could go from self pitying to joyful in a matter of minutes.

The two tossed the shots back and slammed the glasses on the bar. Charlie gave him a shy smile before catching sight of the clock.

"Shit. I gotta check on my kids. Is there anywhere quiet around here?" She asked Happy pulling her phone out of a pocket.

"Yeah." He said, before leading her back towards the dorm room. He unlocked his personal dorm before letting her pass before him. She was already tapping the screen of her phone as he shut the door. She smiled at him as she placed the phone to her ear.

"_Hello?"_

"Carson? It's mom? Everything going okay?" Charlie asked. Happy watched as she paced the room. He'd never seen anything like it. He never wanted kids. Never felt the need to have them. Never wanted a woman with kids.

"_Mom, Azalia's hitting on the guy you left here. He keeps pushing her off but she won't leave him alone." _Carson said. Charlie heard a loud thump in the background and Carson burst into laughter.

"He just fell off the couch, didn't he?" Charlie asked, glancing at Happy a smile crossing her face. He stared blankly at her.

"_Yeah." _Carson giggled over the line.

"Alright baby. Tell your sister to quit tormenting the poor guy." Charlie said, chuckling.

"_Okay, momma. I love you." _Carson said.

"I love you too, you little kiss ass. Go to bed." Charlie laughed.

"_Mom…" _She heard before ending the call.

"Everything good?" Happy asked.

"Yeah. Azalia's torturing your poor prospect." She laughed, sliding her phone back into her pocket and perching on the edge of the bed. "And Carson's laughing it up, though he wasn't too happy when I told him to go to bed." Happy smiled.

"Well I wouldn't know what that's like." He said.

"No kids of your own?" She asked, carefully watching from under her lashes.

"Not that I know of. I'm not much for kids. Wouldn't be a good parent or role model for one, I guess." He said, plainly. She frowned.

"Yeah, I know how that feels." She said, breezily. "Being a thirteen year old mom is not ideal. Not that I had a choice in the matter, but I make due."

"What do you mean no choice?" Happy asked.

"OOOkay this conversation just got a little too serious for now." She said hopping up. "Let's go get a drink."

He pulled her back down. "No. What did you mean?"

"Look." Charlie sighed. "I don't know you well enough to give you the whole Charlie Ryzdale Lifetime movie just yet. So let's just get a drink." She stood back up looked down at him.

"Yeah, drink." Happy said. He stood and led her out of the bar area, locking the door on his way out.

"Two bear fuckers." Happy snapped at the girl behind the bar.

"What's with everyone trying to get me wasted?" Charlie asked smiling up at him. Happy looked down and paused just staring at the way her whole face lit up. He just stared at her and her smile shrank as she began to blush.

"What is there something on my face?" She asked looking down shyly. He hooked a finger under her chin and raised her face back up.

"No." was all he said. The girl behind the bar left their shots in front of them before walking away, glaring at Charlie as she went. Charlie reluctantly reached towards the shot glass Happy held towards her.

"Bottom's up." She said tipping it back. Happy followed suit and hooked an arm around her waist. She stared up at him wide eyed. He smirked at her before pulling her away from the bar and out of the clubhouse.

The pair caught the attention of Gemma and Clay who were holed up in a corner observing.

Clay watched with raised eyebrows at the two. Gemma with a look of satisfaction.

"What is that about?" He asked his wife who smiled at him.

"Charlie finally found someone who's caught her eye and Happy found a woman who challenges him enough to keep him interested." She said simply.

"How well do you think this is gonna end?" Clay asked.

"Well that's up to them."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy walked Charlie out to a picnic table that was empty with a wave of his hand. The hang arounds and crow eaters scampering away. He sat down and forced Charlie to sit down on his lap. He lifted the hair off the back of her neck and inspected the tattoo he had spotted before.

Charlie smiled at the touch of his finger tracing the ink.

"What does this mean?" He asked.

"Morgen is een nieuwe dag. It's Dutch for 'Tomorrow is a new day." Charlie said softly. Happy just traced the individual letters that wrapped around the back of her neck. The movement sent a chill down her spine, one that in their close proximity, Happy didn't miss. A small smile crossed his face.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" He asked. Charlie looked at him, clearly puzzled.

"Movie night with the kids. Why?" She replied. He just looked at her.

"Well I was wondering if maybe you'd want to go out on a ride with me, but if you're busy." He trailed off.

"We could go earlier in the day?" She ventured. " I doubt you'll wanna come spend time with my hellions." She chuckled.

"Earlier in the day sounds good." He said. "Kids, prolly not smart right now." Charlie smiled. That statement made it sound like he was interested in more than just a one night stand. The two stayed that way, just talking for about half an hour before Gemma approached them.

"Charlie? I'm going if you wanna ride home with me?" she asked, eying the two.

"Yeah, better go save the poor babysitter." Charlie said, standing up and stretching. She turned to face Happy, who was still seated at the table.

"You've got my number, just text me tomorrow when you want to head out." She turned to follow Gemma but Happy stopped her. He stood and pulled her up to him before placing a soft kiss to her lips. Charlie's eyes fluttered closed at the contact. He pulled away and her eyes opened to look up at him.

"Tomorrow." He said. She turned and walked towards Gemma, pointedly ignoring the self satisfied smirk on the queen's face.

"Don't say anything." Charlie said, a smile slowly appearing. The queen's laughter rang out over the lot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow I'm so happy that people are enjoying this. **

**I do have to say for Debbie, my mother is dutch and she gave me the translation.**

**Thanks Kateriina Sofia, my lovely beta.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Charlie had been right. The prospect had gone sprinting out of her house, jumped on his bike and fled for dear life. Azalia sat on the couch pouting after he left.

"Geez Z. Keep it in your pants." Charlie said, still a little tipsy.

"Can it, mom." The teen said, standing and flouncing up the stairs. Charlie just shook her head, heading to the bathroom in search of aspirin. She couldn't believe the night she'd had. He'd kissed her. Charlie giggled and spun around like a school girl. _He kissed me! He kissed me! He kissed me! _Spun through her semi-intoxicated mind. She swallowed two aspirin, chugged a bottle of water and headed to bed.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy rejoined the party after Charlie'd left but didn't enjoy it as much. Clay approached the killer cautiously. The fierce look on his face one that didn't bode well for the people around him.

"See you got a thing for our girl Charlie." He said casually.

"What's it to you?" Happy snapped out.

"Just be careful there eh? That girl's been through hell." Clay said, sitting down.

"I'm taking her out tomorrow. On the bike. Could I get Gemma's helmet from you?" Happy said, lighting up a cigarette. Clay's eyebrow shot up so fast they nearly came off his face.

"Yeah. No problem brother." He said, surprise ringing through his voice. Happy nodded his thanks before going and ordering a beer.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie awoke the next morning to her son jumping into her bed and jumping up and down. She groaned before reaching up and grabbing him, pulling him down.

"Why are you being mean to momma, baby boy? It's way too early for this." She mumbled sleepily.

"Mom it's ten thirty and I want pancakes. Please pretty please." The eleven year old begged. Charlie sighed releasing her son and rubbing her face. "You know what I need then."

"Coffee with hot chocolate in it, coming right up." Carson bounced out the bed. Azalia came into the room as Carson bounced out of it. She crawled into bed with her mom, both still sleepy.

"He woke me up at six this morning going on and on about some stupid cartoon." The teen said crawling under the covers and curling into a ball next to her mom.

"I take it the anger has eased off then." Charlie said, a small smile crossing her face.

"Yeah but only 'cause you're making pancakes." Azalia said, returning the smile. Charlie reached up and tapped the end of her daughter's nose. The same nose she had, that her mother, and grandmother had had.

"Heard you were torturing the prospect last night." Charlie said, examining her daughter's features. She noticed more and more traits from her sign of the family than from Azalia's sperm donors. The same big green eyes, the same mouth, the same high cheekbones, even Azalia's ear's were like her mother's. The only difference was Azalia was a blonde, whereas Charlie naturally had deep auburn hair.

"Maybe a little. It's fun to make them squirm." Azalia giggled from her spot next to her mother. Charlie laughed.

"Well the way he ran out of here, squirm he did." She said, hearing slow footsteps up the stairs. Carson soon appeared in the doorway taking slow steps to make sure he didn't spill the coffee.

"Ah my hero," Charlie said scooting into a sitting position and reaching for her coffee. Carson handed over the steaming mug and Charlie took a long sip.

"Okay waking up now." She said, smiling at her kids. Mornings like this were the best. When the three of them were at peace, just together. She took another sip of coffee before grabbing her T.V, remote and turning it on. She flicked through channels before settling on a movie network.

"What is this momma?" Azalia asked, watching.

"It's Howl's Moving Castle." Carson said, crawling in the bed. He settled in while Charlie sipped at her coffee. They lay there for about half an hour before Charlie asked,

"Chocolate chip pancakes sound good?" Her kids chattered off agreements before letting their mother up. She picked her phone up off the night table and slid it in the back pocket of her sleep pants as she headed for the kitchen. She paused at the door and turned to see Azalia straightening out and Carson curling into her as they continued watching the movie. She smiled and continued downstairs.

Charlie listened to the radio as she made a quick batch of chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage, before calling up the stairs for the kids, who trooped downstairs and sat at the kitchen table. Charlie brought the food over and the kids began digging in.

"Carson do you have homework this weekend?" She asked, bringing her coffee over and joining her children.

"No I finished it." He said through a mouthful of food.

"Don't talk with your mouthful, young man? Do I need to check your backpack?" Charlie asked, fixing herself a plate.

"I've got math homework, and I've got to read a book for language arts." He admitted shoveling pancake into his mouth.

"Z?"

"Just some reading for history." The girl replied, staring in horror at the eleven year old, who continued eating like a tyrannosaurus.

"Good you can help your brother while I'm out today." Charlie said lightly, cutting off a small piece of pancake. Azalia and Carson paused, staring at her.

"Where are you going?" Azalia asked. "The store's not open on weekends."

"I'm going out with a friend, then tonight you two are all mine for movie night, so I want all homework and chores done by the time I get home." Charlie said.

"Out with a friend? Holy shit you've got a date!" Azalia exclaimed, a broad smile crossing her face. Carson stared in horror at his mom.

"What do you wanna go and do that for." He asked.

"Why not?" Charlie said, raising an eyebrow. Her phone started blaring Kryptonite from her back pocket. She pulled it out and checked the text message.

Azalia scoffed, "I really need to get you some new ringtones."

_Be ready at 1._ Was all it said. Charlie quickly sent her address and put her phone away. Azalia was watching her.

"What's wrong with the ringtones I have?" Charlie asked, continuing her breakfast.

"They're so old…It's that biker you were checking out the other day, isn't it?" Azalia asked.

"What's it matter?" Charlie said, shortly.

"Biker? This guy has a motorcycle that's so cool!" Carson said, pushing his plate away. "You think he'd let me sit on it?" Charlie's eyes went wide, she could feel the panic rising. _My baby on a motorcycle. Fuck no!_

"I dunno if that's such a good idea baby." She said, picking up her plate and Carson's and taking them to the sink. She stood there a moment, an image of Happy taking Carson for a ride on the bike making her smile before she shook her head _Bad Charlie, Carson + motorcycle = bad._ She turned back around.

"You two do the dishes while I'm in the shower." She said, holding up a hand to end the arguments. "Carson, you put leftovers in the fridge and scrape, Azalia you rinse and load." She walked out of the kitchen and darted up the stairs before there were any more complaints.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy woke up alone. He laid in his bed a moment before remembering what he was doing later on. He rubbed his face. _Am I really taking this bitch on a date? Jesus what's wrong with me?_ He sighed and pulled his phone out. Sending a quick text to Charlie, he climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom, grabbing a towel along the way. The phone vibrated and he flipped it open to see her address. She lived in a decent part of Charming. Same neighborhood as Jax to be exact. Happy snapped the phone shut and took a shower.

He finished in five minutes and toweled off. He was in the middle of shaving when someone knocked on his door.

"Hap, Clay's got somethin' for ya." Tig called into the room. Happy pulled on his boxers and pants, slinging a belt on as he walked out to the main room.

"Bad time?" Clay asked, seeing the state Happy was in.

"Picking her up in an hour. Gotta be ready." Was all Happy said as he took the helmet from Clay. All the guys began catcalling and laughing. Happy stared each of them down before saying,

"And how many of you have gotten as far as getting her to ride bitch?" Jax raised his hand. Happy turned and glared. "Dude chill it was in high school, I took her to the hospital on my bike 'cause Azalia had appendicitis." Happy just continued out of the room.

"It won't last once he meets the kids." Tig said. The other guys began throwing stuff at him. "What?" He exclaimed dodging trash.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie dashed around her bedroom digging through clothes. Azalia walked in only to have a sweatshirt hit her in the face.

"Geez mom. What's your problem?" Azalia asked poking through the clothes.

"What looks good and can be worn on a motorcycle?" Charlie mumbled to herself. Azalia picked up a black loose fit long sleeved shirt and tossed it to her mother.

"Try that with the jeans you're wearing." She said, Charlie quickly changed shirts.

"Oh that does look good and these boots." Charlie said, picking up a pair of black slouchy boots. She slid them on as Azalia began fixing her hair.

"How long before he gets here?" She asked her mother.

"Twenty minutes." Charlie replied, putting on a smidge of eyeliner then lipstick.

"Well," Azalia said. "You're ready." Charlie turned around and hugged her daughter.

"My little heathen." She said, as Azalia pushed her away.

"Gee thanks." The teen grumbled, "Love you too." Charlie laughed and the two headed downstairs.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy left Teller-Morrow at 12:45. He rode quickly through town and pulled up at the address, parking by Charlie's Escape. He looked up at her house. It was a two story cottage style how painted in a soft blue with dark blue shutters. A kid's bike was on the front porch and there was a tree swing in the oak tree in the front yard. He saw a face appear in the window which was quickly followed by the front door flinging open and a boy running out of it.

"Oh my god! That is so cool!" The kid crowed, looking at Happy's bike. He just stared as the kid rattled off question after question.

"What kind of bike is that? Does it go fast? Will you take me on a ride? That paint job is so cool! I wanna a motorcycle when I turn sixteen but mom won't let me, think you can talk her into it?" The kid said, sucking in a deep breath as he finished.

"Carson? Where are you baby?" Charlie's voice carried from the house.

"OUTSIDE MOM!" The kid, who Happy now realized was Charlie's younger child Carson, hollered back towards the house. Charlie walked out the front door.

"Oh Carson leave him alone. Sorry Happy, he's a little rambunctious." She said smiling over at him. "Carson, come give me a hug." Charlie said. He went over and wrapped his arms around his mother before looking up at her.

"You should convince him to take me riding on that awesome bike!" Carson said, loudly enough to get a smile to cross Happy's face. Charlie laughed.

"I don't think Momma can handle you on the back of a motorcycle. It scares me." She said, kissing her son noisily on the cheek, making sure to leave a lipstick print. Carson pulled away, violently rubbing at the lipstick.

"Go inside with your sister. I'm leaving now." Carson trotted back to the house glancing back at the bike.

"He's something else." Happy said, looking at her through his sunglasses. She smiled at him.

"That's my baby." Charlie stated proudly. "He's a little kiss ass but he definitely doesn't like when I date. It's usually why guys go running after meeting him once." Happy raised an eyebrow. "You got lucky. He was distracted by the shiny motorcycle." Happy chuckled at that one. He handed her the spare helmet as she slid her sunglasses on. She put the helmet on and climbed on the bike. He backed it out of the driveway before turning the engine over.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie was having a blast. Happy was taking sharp turns and speeding. She had her arms wrapped around him, hands directly over his abs and she was appreciating that. He took a hand off the handlebars and placed it over hers, rubbing softly before placing it back on the handlebars. She grinned and buried her face in his back. He glanced behind him and a small smile crossed his face. She popped her head up and called out,

"Where are you taking me?" Happy smiled and replied, "We're almost there." Charlie could see trees popping up along the side of the road. Happy pulled off the main road onto a side road. They rode a ways more Charlie gripping tighter to Happy as he took a sharp turn. He finally stopped in a small clearing.

Charlie hopped off the bike as soon as Happy killed the engine. She took the helmet off and stretched before shaking her hair out.

"That was fun." She said, a huge smile crossing her face. "I haven't been on a bike since high school." Happy smiled as he reached for the bedroll strapped to the very back of the bike. She danced around the clearing like a little kid while Happy laid the bedroll out and sat down.

"So what's the plan?" Charlie asked as she stopped mid-skip and looked at him.

"This is it. Just to relax." Happy said, gesturing her over.

"That sounds amazing!" Charlie giggled as she sat down next to him. He leaned back and watched Charlie as she took a deep breath and raised her face towards the sky, releasing a sigh. Happy just watched her, he could visibly see the tension in her shoulders disappearing.

"This is lovely." She said lying flat on her back and closing her eyes. Happy reached up and took her sunglasses off. She turned her head and looked directly in his eyes. Chocolate brown meeting brilliant green.

"So two kids?" Happy asked.

"Yup Azalia and Carson. Carson's eleven and Azalia is seventeen." Charlie replied. "They're my world, I dunno what I would do without them."

"Sounds like it. Who helps you with them?" He asked, noticing the way her face lit up and her eyes sparkled as she talked about her kids.

"Just me now." She said sadly. "Mom helped me with Z when she was a baby, but she died when I was seventeen and Azalia was almost 4."

"What happened?"

"Breast cancer, didn't catch it until it was too late. She was young too, and there was no history of it in our family. Just caught up with her and poof, she was gone." She said.

"And your dad?" Happy asked.

"Even more tragic he was killed during a gas station hold up when I was twenty. Killed for one hundred twenty dollars and a twelve pack of pop." She stated blankly.

"You seem to be okay with it now." He observed.

"I started therapy at age twelve. Learned a few coping skills during the six years I spent with the shrink." She said, chuckling.

"What about your kids' dad?" He asked.

"Carson's dad and I split about six years ago. Last I heard, he was living in New York with a new wife and baby. I get child support and Carson gets a birthday and Christmas present every year, but he doesn't call." She said. "I feel like I'm talking about my life too much. What about you? Do you have any family?" Happy looked up.

"Just my mom. She's in hospice down in Bakersfield. Dad was never around, Mom worked her ass off to take care of me. Now I just return the favor." He said. Charlie smiled.

"You really love her." She stated simply. Happy shrugged.

"She's my mom."

"God I hope my kids are that good to me when I'm old and gray." She said. He smiled at her a real smile. She was stunned at how it transformed his face. She leaned up into him. His smile shrank and he leaned toward her, gently placing his lips on hers. She pushed up into him, parting her lips. He took advantage of this movement and deepened the kiss. She pushed into him, fisting a hand in his cut. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her tightly as he continued his assault on her mouth.

Charlie broke away gasping. "Whoa."

"Agreed." Happy rasped out, eyes boring into hers. She sat up and faced him, brushing hair out of her face.

"What all has Clay and the guys told you about me?" Charlie asked cautiously. Happy stared up into her face, trying to see where she was going with this.

"Just that you're not like the bitches that normally hang around a clubhouse. Oh and a lot of back offs." He said, smirking at her. She gave a shy smile.

"Well that's not a surprise." She said. "Maybe if you stick around a while, I'll tell you everything, but for now can we just hang out?" She started twirling a piece of her hair. Happy reached up and grabbed her hand, running a thumb over the back of it.

"That's fine." Was all he said, but the smile it brought to her face damn near blinded him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Well I managed to finish this amid a computer malfunction and three hours on the phone with tech support. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. They brighten my day.**

**Thanks to my lovely beta, Kateriina Sofia, for betaing this**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Charlie and Happy stayed out in the clearing for another two hours. This time on the way back, Charlie relaxed a little. She began tracing his abs through the t-shirt Happy was wearing. _God he is sexy._ She soon noticed the speed on the bike increasing. She smiled to herself at his reaction.

Happy's jaw was tight as he felt her fingers trace his stomach. The engine revved as his grip tightened. He felt her pressed against him and her fingers. _What the fuck is wrong with me? No other gash has done this to me!_ He sped up as he felt her fingers slide down his abdomen. He heard a small laugh from behind him.

He soon pulled into Charming, passing Jax and Chibs on their way out of town. Charlie chuckled at their obvious staring at the pair.

"I think they're surprised." She said into Happy's ear. Happy smirked. He took a right and pulled into her driveway. She hopped off the bike and handed the helmet to him.

"Do you wanna come in?" She asked, watching his face closely.

"I can't stay long. I've gotta head up to Tacoma for a week or so." He said, pulling his helmet off. She gave him a curious look but didn't ask.

"Okay." She said. She led him into the house. He looked around. Directly to his left was the living room. It had a black overstuffed sectional and matching chair, large black entertainment center with matching bookshelves stocked full, A wrought iron coffee table with a glass inlay had matching end tables. The walls were painted deep red with a cream carpet. Happy nodded appreciatively.

"Welcome to the house." Charlie said setting her sunglasses on a table by the door. Carson came running down the stairs.

"Mom, Azalia won't help me with my homework!" He said, pouting.

"I told him I would help him, not do it for him." The teen called down the stairs. Charlie raised an eyebrow at her son, who ducked his head and trucked back up the stairs.

"Do you want something to drink? We've got all kinds of pop." Charlie asked heading towards the kitchen. He followed looking at the pictures lining the hall heading into the kitchen. He stopped mid-stride. It was Charlie but when she was much younger. She was holding a baby in her lap, the two curled up in a rocking chair. Charlie's hair was a deeper red than what she had now. Her face was not as defined baby fat still in her cheeks. She was shorter than she was now to, judging by how the chair swallowed her up. The baby was wrapped in a pink blanket. Happy assumed it was Azalia. She had curly blonde hair and tiny features. Tiny fingers were wrapped in her mother's hair as she slept. The picture was peaceful. His mind began turning it into a tattoo. He turned at the touch of a hand on his arm.

"Oh. You saw that one, huh?" Charlie said, following his eye line. "I was thirteen, almost fourteen. Azalia was six months. I was watching a movie with her one night, just holding her and I passed out. Dad snapped this. When I found out I was mad, all he could say was, 'I couldn't resist.' Now it's one of the most precious pictures I've got." She said, reaching up and running a finger over Azalia's face. Happy watched the expression on her face. Charlie blinked back tears and snatched his hand, towing him towards the kitchen. She led him over to the table where there were two cans of pepsi waiting. She grabbed her cigarettes off the counter, lighting one up. She pulled the ashtray in between them before sitting down beside him.

"Some place you've got." He commented, pulling his own smokes out of his pocket.

"It's not much but I make do." She said blowing out a stream of smoke. "Kids go finish your homework." She called not even turning around. Happy heard footsteps clambering up the stairs.

"I like it. It's not too chicky." He said absently. "How did you know they were there?" he questioned, nodding his head upward.

"Don't pretend you didn't know they were there. But mother's instinct, eyes in the back of the head thing, totally true." Happy laughed, his whole demeanor changing.

Azalia waltzed into the kitchen.

"Homework done?" Charlie asked without batting an eye.

"Yeah and Carson is on his last bit of math." The girl said, walking to the fridge and opening it. Charlie sucked another drag of her cigarette, just watching Happy. He was taking in everything silently. She'd never been around someone where it felt completely natural to sit quietly. No talking just relaxing quiet. Azalia pulled a pop out of the fridge and walked over to Happy.

"I'm Azalia, call me Z." She said, looking him up and down.

"Happy." He said, shortly looking at her mother.

"Go check on your brother." Charlie said shortly. Azalia scoffed and pranced out of the kitchen. Charlie shook her head. "I should probably pick out a movie."

"Mind if I stick around a while?" Happy asked. Charlie was stunned.

"I thought you had to leave?" She asked, though her heart was pounding.

"It can wait 'til morning." He said, bringing a huge smile to her face.

"Well then. You get to pick the movie. Collection's in the entertainment center just open the door and pull out the big cases they're all labeled." Charlie said, walking down the hall and up the stairs. She knocked on Carson's door.

"Your turn to pick supper. What do you want baby?" She asked. Carson and turned around from his desk.

"I was thinking Chinese." He said, eyes pleading.

"You do know there's no Chinese place in Charming, right?" She asked.

"Yeah there is. New place just opened up on Ivy Road. Jake's mom took us there when I stayed the night two weeks ago." He said, looking at his mom like 'duh you should know that.'

"Do they deliver?" Charlie asked, resigning herself to his choice.

"Yep. I even got their number for you." Carson said bouncing up and digging through his backpack. He pulled out a flier with the number to 'Wu's Restaurant' and a list of their specials.

"Wow prepared. I suppose I'd better go order." Charlie walked by Azalia's room calling out,

"Chinese tonight."

"Make sure you get sweet and sour chicken." Azalia called back.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy watched as Charlie went upstairs. He got up from the kitchen table and walked down the same hall Charlie had just walked down. He looked over the pictures on the walls again. He saw a wedding portrait that looked like it was Charlie's parents. Charlie and Carson still in the hospital, Charlie looked exhausted but had a look of pure joy on her face. Happy couldn't imagine what it must have been like in the hospital for her. Continuing on to the living room, he walked to the entertainment center and opened the cabinet. To his surprise, instead of seeing individual movie cases, he found four of the large cd cases each with a label bearing a name. He pulled Charlie's case out and sat down on the couch. Opening the case, he was surprised to find action movies, indie films he'd never seen, some chick movies, and several horror flicks.

"Find anything?" Charlie asked from the doorway. Happy turned and looked at her.

"Not yet. Good taste though."

"Thanks. We each have own case. Keeps Carson from watching movies he shouldn't and Azalia hates everything except romantic comedies and vampire flicks. Drives me crazy." Charlie laughed. Happy went back to looking through the movies. He pulled out The Hills Have Eyes and held it up for approval. Charlie nodded.

"Carson's already seen it. He'll be okay to watch it." She said. "But we'll probably have to watch something else 'til it gets dark. No point in watching a scary movie when it's still light out." Happy just continued flipping through the case, pulling out Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Charlie bit her lip.

"I'll just cover his eyes when I need to." She said.

"Nah, I'll just find something else." Happy said, replacing the disc. He noticed that each slot was neatly labeled with the title of the movie and the content of the disc. He flipped back a couple pages to find Shaun of the Dead.

"Perfect. You're gonna be Carson's hero. He loves that movie." Charlie said, "I need to call the Chinese place." She went and snagged her wallet from her purse.

She sat down next to Happy and picked up the house phone, quickly dialing the number. She placed her order and got the total. Hanging up the phone she turned on the T.V. She heard scuffling upstairs followed by shouts.

"Crap. Here watch whatever you want." Charlie handed him the remote. He watched as she left the room, hollering as she went.

"Knock this shit off! Or I'm cancelling movie night and you two can stay in your rooms for the rest of the night." The fighting ceased almost immediately. Charlie heard her phone go off in the kitchen. She went and grabbed it to see Gemma had text her.

_Hows it goin?_ Charlie groaned.

_Fantastic. But thats all the answer youre getting. _She quickly replied. She heard footstep coming down the stairs as she reached in the fridge and grabbed four cans of pop. Her phone went off again.

_Fine. Be a bitch._ Gemma sent back. Charlie just laughed. She walked back into the living room to see that Carson was laying on the floor watching some show about motorcycles Charlie had never seen before. Happy looking over at her, small smile crossing his face.

_-_-_777_-_-_

_What the fuck is going on? Got the whole kid thing started? Why did I ask to say? Fuck fuck fuck! 'cause it brought a fucking smile to her face, that's fuckin' why. Fuck! What is wrong with me? She's just another pussy, fuck no she's not. Shit!_

"Charlie." He rasped out. She looked over at him. He patted the seat next to him and set his arm on the back of the sofa.

"One sec. Z! Time to come down." She called up the stairs. Charlie went and sat next to Happy. Azalia stepped down the stairs lightly.

"Who picked the movies tonight?" She asked her mother, taking note of how she was sitting really close to this biker. Azalia scoffed before sitting on the opposite end of the couch.

"Guests pick, you know that." Charlie replied. Happy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side.

"Carson put the movie in baby." Charlie said, Carson popping up and taking the movie from Happy. He quickly got it all set up and tossed the remote to his mother, who started the movie. They watched for about half an hour before there was a knock at the door. Charlie made to get up and answer it but Happy pushed her back down.

"I got it." He said, getting up and going to the door. He opened it to see the delivery kid from the Chinese place. The kid went white at the sight of Happy. His eyes took in the leather cut, the knife always at his belt and finally the dark eyes that were currently boring into him.

"How much I owe ya?" Happy asked. The kid swallowed hard.

"Th-th-thirty one , s-s-seventy three." He stammered out. Happy dug around in his pockets and pulled out a roll of cash.

"Keep the change." He said, peeling off a couple of twenties. The kid took the money and handed the food over before bolting. Happy walked back into the living room to see Charlie sitting up right on the sofa. She was looking at him as he walked in the room. She paused the movie as the kids made a beeline for the food Happy had handed to Charlie.

"On comes the radar." Charlie said, giggling. She quickly handed food and chopsticks to Carson and Azalia, who retreated back to their spots. Charlie scooted into Happy who peered into the bag and grabbed the carton of beef and broccoli and the steamed rice. Charlie pressed play on the movie as she took her own carton of General Tso Chicken out of the bag. They sat in silence, the occasional laugh coming from Carson until the food was gone.

Charlie curled up into Happy as soon as they finished eating. She loved the way he smelled, leather from his cut, the smell of his cigarettes, and some kind of cologne under it all. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they watched the movie.

Soon Shaun of the Dead was over. Carson switched out the movie for The Hills Have Eyes and they all settled back in. Happy smiled as he felt Charlie jump, during the movie. He wrapped his arm a little tighter and she laid her hand on his chest.

Azalia and Carson had fallen asleep by the end of the movie. Charlie reluctantly got up and stretched. Happy watched as she began picking up trash, carefully stepping around Carson, who was sprawled on the floor. She sighed.

"Time to wake them enough to get them upstairs." She said softly, smiling at him. Happy stopped her and got up scooping Carson up and carrying him upstairs. Charlie stared after him, wide-eyed. Happy walked up the stairs and began nudging doors open. Finding Carson's, he laid the sleeping kid on the bed and walked out the door. Azalia passed him in the hall, he heard her door creak and a soft thud as she fell into her bed.

Charlie was putting pillows away and folding blankets as he walked into the living room.

"Thanks." Was all she said. Happy walked over to her, took the blanket out of her hands, pulled her close and kissed her. Charlie melted into him as his tongue ravaged her mouth. Her arms wound around his neck as he leaned toward her. Happy pulled back and looked down at her. She opened her eyes and looked directly into his. He was caught off guard at the green eyes piercing his.

He let her go and backed away. "I gotta head out of town, I'll be back in a couple weeks. Keep your phone on." He said, walking to the door.

"Okay. " He walked out. Charlie sat down hard on the sofa. She heard the bike start and the engine rev, the sound fading as Happy headed back to the clubhouse. Charlie's phone began ringing.

"Yes Gemma?" She answered.

"How'd it go?" The biker queen asked abruptly.

"Good. I'm going to bed. Goodnight Gemma." Charlie said, snapping the phone shut. She shook her head as she locked the front door and headed up the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

Happy left Charming that night, stopping at the clubhouse in Portland, Oregon. The Sons there always had a room for him. He immediately retreated there where he passed out for the next six hours.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee being waved under her nose. Azalia was standing beside the bed with a large mug in her hands.

"Whassa matta baby?" Charlie asked, hand reaching out as she scooted up to lean against her head board.

"Girl talk." The teen replied, crawling in on the other side of her mom. She cuddled up to her mother. "So this Happy guy?"

"Ah! I should've known this was coming." Charlie chuckled as she sipped at her coffee.

"Yeah! I wanna know everything." Azalia said. Charlie laughed.

"Gilmore girl moment much?" She asked her daughter, setting her coffee down on her night stand. She picked up her cigarettes and lit one, lifting the ashtray off the stand and settling it in her lap before speaking. "He's something, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Where'd you find that hunk of sexy?" Azalia asked, giggling at her mother's look of disbelief.

"Well you helped that along. I met him the day you blew the engine in the truck." Charlie replied, taking a drag of her smoke. Azalia was trying to remember him from that day.

"Wait… The guy that was talking to you and Jax?" She asked, staring into her mother's face.

"Yeah that's him. He came up and started talking to me. He's the one who took a look at your truck and gave me the estimate for it. But I didn't really start talking to him 'til Gemma dragged me to the party. We had a few drinks, he checked out the tattoo on my neck, talked for a while. He even ignored all the sluts that hang around 'cause we were talking." Charlie said, picking up her coffee and taking a sip.

"You really like this guy don't you?" Azalia asked.

"Yeah, but you know the deal breaker for me. You and your brother have to like him." Charlie said, taking another hit of the cigarette. Azalia watched as her mother blew the smoke out and flicked the ash.

"You know that me and Carson love you. Yes I know shocking considering the knock out drag downs we have, but sometimes I wonder, if you didn't worry about us so much if you'd be happier." Azalia said, biting her lip.

"How can you think that Z? You and Carson mean everything to me. You two are my world. Everything I do is to make sure you have a good life." Charlie said, astounded.

"I know, but you haven't been on a date since divorcing Jesse, who by the way, is a douchebag that hasn't called in six months, not even on Christmas. But that's besides the point. We want you to be happy. And working all the time, staying home with us, cleaning, that's not doing it. Last night was the first time I've seen you completely peaceful mom." Azalia said, watching her mother stub out the cigarette and place the ashtray back on the night table. She wiggled her toes under her mom's legs, which earned her a dirty look.

"Those are cold you know?" Charlie said. "The other thing is, there's a rule amongst bikers, what happens on a run stays on a run. So for all I know, he's up in Washington banging every piece of ass who bats an eyelash. I can't handle that, as sexy and in a weird and dark way sweet as he is. You know yesterday he took me to a clearing. Didn't ask anything of me but to just be there. It was amazing."

Azalia watched her mother speak. She's never seen her mom like this before. This guy had really gotten under her skin. Charlie was very straight forward. She'd never lied to Azalia before. Everything was out in the open, Z's father, money situations, general bitching. So the fact that that was what her mom was thinking was surprising.

"Maybe you need a relaxed relationship mom. Just a guy to use for a lay when he's around."

"Azalia!" Charlie squawked, head snapping around to stare gob smacked at the teen.

"What? I'm seventeen, doesn't make me an idiot." Azalia said, laughing heartily.

"You know, random nights are bad for me. I get knocked up waaaay too easily." Charlie said, drinking deeply of the coffee.

"Well, you're Dutch and English. I'm that and Irish and German. Carson is that and Italian and French. Why not complete the set with a little Latino baby?" Charlie spit coffee across the bed. Azalia busted up laughing.

"Okay conversation over." Charlie said, climbing out of bed. Azalia was still rolling. Carson padded into the room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"What's so funny?"

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy awoke at noon that Sunday. He rubbed his face and sat up. A pounding on the door, knocked him out of his sleepy state and he climbed out of bed and ripped the door open to see Poker, the Portland SAA.

"What?" He growled out.

"Tacoma called." Poker said, leaning against the doorframe. Poker was shorter than Happy by six inches, easily dwarfed by the latter's 6'4" frame. Happy glared down at him.

"Well call them back and tell them I'll be there tonight." Happy said, before slamming the door. Red came down the hallway.

"Told you not to wake the killer." He said.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Gemma called Charlie at about ten.

"Good morning, sweetheart. How's our Happy friend." Gemma asked, her glee ringing through the speaker.

"In Washington." Charlie replied shortly. She had just gotten out of the shower and was rifling through clothes trying to find something to wear during the day.

"Oh that's sucks, but how did yesterday go? Better yet, meet me for breakfast. Bring the kids, my treat. You, me, and Azalia can have girl talk while Carson gorges himself on Estelle's pancakes." Gemma said.

"I dunno Gemma." Charlie said, pulling on a pair of jeans, phone tucked in between her shoulder and cheek.

"Just meet me there. Half an hour." Gemma hung up. Charlie sighed.

"Z! Carson! Get ready to go. We're going out to breakfast!" She hollered out her bedroom door. She found a t-shirt that said, "Mom's rule, Dad's drool" and yanked it over her head. She grabbed a pair of socks from her dresser and walked out the door. She opened Azalia's door to see her standing in the closet rifling through shirts.

"Ten minutes mom. Swear!" Azalia said, glancing at Charlie. Charlie shut the door and walked down to Carson's room. She opened his door to see him pulling on his shoes.

"Be downstairs in a second."

"Okay." Charlie said. She walked back to her room and grabbed her tennis shoes, before heading downstairs.

True to her word, Azalia was coming down the stairs at 10:10. Carson had already run outside and was riding his bike in the yard. Charlie grabbed her purse off the entry table and walked out the door, Azalia right behind her.

"Carson, put your bike up. Time to go." Charlie said, heading to the car. Azalia climbed into the passenger seat. Carson ran up after he put his bike on the porch.

The three set off to Estelle's diner. A feeling of dread coiled in Charlie's stomach as she imagined Gemma's line of questioning. Of all the people at Teller-Morrow, the matriarch of the Son's of Anarchy who had walked into her shop two years before had been the closest to her, and also the nosiest. She'd never met the woman before that day in her store, even though she'd been close to Opie and Jax in high school. Gemma had become a regular customer and a friend but the woman still scared the shit out of Charlie.

"Mom. Who are we meeting there?" Carson asked, kicking the back of Azalia's seat. Azalia reached around and smacked his legs as Charlie said, "Ms. Gemma. Now best behavior everyone or deep shit. Got it?"

They pulled up at Estelle's and Carson went sprinting inside ahead of Charlie and Azalia. As the girls walked in, they could see Carson shamelessly flirting with the pretty waitress.

"Carson, let the nice girl find us a table." Charlie said. The waitress laughed and said, "Right this way." The trio sat down and ordered drinks.

Gemma walked in the door and ignoring the waitress that greeted her, immediately sat down next to Azalia.

"So how was it? Not many women catch our killer's eye." Gemma wasted no time with the questioning.

"It was fine." Charlie said shortly sipping at the Pepsi the waitress had brought her. Azalia snorted.

"Better than fine, I'd say. Judging from you two on the couch last night. Him not letting you pay for dinner. You being glued to his side. I'm stunned you two weren't making out like a couple in a bad teen movie." Azalia said, making Gemma laugh.

"Oh really?" The queen said, raising an eyebrow at the now brilliant red Charlie.

"Yeah she's just too shy to say anything." Azalia confirmed. Charlie just lowered her head.

"Momma, can I get pancakes, and sausage?" Carson asked.

"Ask Ms. Gemma." Charlie said absently.

"Yes you can doll. Anything you want." Gemma said. "Now Charlie." Charlie groaned. "How do you feel about our friend Happy?"

"I so don't want to talk about it?" Charlie said.

"Too bad. Spill." Gemma stated bluntly, flagging down a waitress. The girl rushed over and quickly took their orders. Charlie was grateful, for the minutes without questioning. The waitress walked away and Charlie sighed. Carson looked exceedingly bored.

"Charlie?" Gemma said.

"Fine. Yesterday went great. It was wonderful. All roses and sunshine." Charlie said, trying to get off the subject.

"Okay princess, how about telling us the truth?" Gemma said. Charlie looked between Gemma and Azalia, both of whom were looking at her like 'really? You think that's gonna fly?' She growled.

"He took me out to a clearing we talked and just stayed there, quietly for three hours. He brought me home and stayed and ate dinner and watched Shaun of the Dead and The Hills have Eyes with us. Yes he bought dinner. No he did not stay the night; he left right after taking Carson upstairs and putting him in bed. Anymore questions ask him." Charlie said very quickly.

Gemma and Azalia stared at her. Gemma couldn't believe it.

"Wait, he put Carson in bed?" She asked.

"Yeah. Carson had fallen asleep and rather than waking him up, he just scooped him up and carried him to bed. Is that so bad?" Charlie asked. Gemma just stared at her, apparently in shock.

"I think you're gonna tame the killer." Gemma said. The waitress brought their food. Azalia took her and looked at her mother.

"Mom, just face it. No arguments, avoiding the topic, or sarcasm is gonna get you outta this." She said, Gemma nodding in agreement.

"I'm in Hell." Charlie groaned.

"Not yet you're not. Wait 'til I tell Jax." Gemma smirked.

"Oh shit."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy pulled into Tacoma at 4:00. Two of his brothers approached as he parked and killed the engine.

"Hey Hap. Prez is looking for you." The taller Son, Bully, said. Bully was taller than Happy and had fifty pounds of muscle on him. The shorter one, Lorca, clapped him on the back and asked.

"How was SAMCRO? Find any good pussy down there." Happy grinned.

"Maybe." Bully and Lorca laughed.

"Happy!" A voice boomed out.

"Wolf." Happy greeted. The Tacoma president came up to the three.

"I need you in the chapel now." Wolf said. Bully and Lorca turned and headed towards the clubhouse. Thaddeus Fellow, or Wolf, got his nickname from a tattoo the Sons had discovered when he was prospecting in the '70s. He quickly lived up to that nickname when it was needed being one of the more ferocious members of the club. Happy remembered Wolf as his sponsor for the club, getting patched in just before Wolf became President of the Tacoma Charter.

Happy climbed off his bike and followed the president into the clubhouse. He ignored the sweet butts peering at him and headed straight for the Chapel. The rest of the Tacoma Sons were already gathered there.

"We have a problem that needs your brand of resolution." Wolf said as soon as the doors closed. That statement caused laughter to ring out through the room.

"What kind of problem?" Happy asked. Wolf grinned.

"Guy by the name of Jesse Vitolo got in deep debt to us. He's only been around a couple months but when we went to get our money back. Bully?"

"He laughed at us. Told us he'd never pay fuckers like us." Bully said. Happy growled.

"Well we'll just have to correct that." Happy said a smirk crossing his face. Kozik spoke up.

"Guy's got a wife and son. Just moved here from New York. Said he needed the money to pay off some prior debts he had. Alimony and child support." Kozik read out of the paper work Eddie, the Intelligence Officer, had collected. Happy looked over at Kozik.

"Who's the ex?" He asked. Kozik flipped the pages in the file.

"Charlotte Ryzdale and son Carson Ryzdale-Vitolo. He left her for Anne-Marie Winters now Vitolo. Charlotte has another child."

"A daughter. Seventeen years old. Azalia Ann Ryzdale." Happy said. The guys all stared at him.

"She's from Charming. Koz you remember that bitch I was with at the clubhouse down there?" Kozik's eyes widened.

"No fuckin' way." Happy nodded.

"I've been… well." A chorus of 'Ohs ' travelled through the room.

"Well Charlotte." "Charlie." Happy interrupted. "She goes by Charlie."

"Well Charlie." Kozik continued. "Has a case number attached to her name but it's sealed. Can't access it."

"Okay so you want me to solve this problem with this bitch I knows ex old man?" Happy asked.

"Is that a problem?" Wolf asked, unhappy with the reaction he was getting from his hit man.

"No. What do we know? Routines, where he lives, when the wife and kid won't be around." Happy asked.

"He works at a real estate agency as a broker. Wife is a stay at home mom. Vitolo likes to go to a strip club on the east side of town, Casanada, on Friday nights. Real high class joint if you can't tell by the name. His favorite stripper is a gash they call Sunshine. She's our in." Kozik said.

"It's taken care of." Happy said. Wolf nodded his head and slammed the gavel.

The Sons dispersed into the main room, getting drinks at the bar. Happy took the long neck the prospect behind the bar offered and walked to his dorm room. Unlocking the door, he pulls his phone out of his pocket.

Dialing a quick number, he shuts the door behind him.

He listened to the phone ring… Once… Twice… It picked up after the third ring.

"_Hello?"_


	8. Chapter 8

**I upped the rating because of what's coming up in this chapter and future chapters. Thanks so much for all the support. It makes my day when I get reviews.**

**Thanks to my lovely beta, Kateriina Sofia, for checking this over for me.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Charlie was dusting the living room when her phone began ringing. She pulled it out and saw a number that wasn't programmed into her phone. She hesitated before hitting the answer button.

"Hello?"

"_Hey." _Happy's voice came over the line.

"Oh hi, hun how was your trip?" Charlie asked tucking the phone between her shoulder and cheek and continued dusting the wall ornaments.

"_Good, just got to Tacoma. Hey, about your ex?_" Happy rasped through the phone.

"What about him?" Charlie asked shortly, rubbing a little harder that necessary at a spot on the coffee table.

"_When's the last time you heard from him?"_ Happy asked.

"Other than envelopes of money Carson's birthday in September. He called long enough to tell Carson happy birthday, call me a greedy bitch and hang up on me. Why?" She asked, wondering where this was coming from.

"_Where's he at?" _Happy asked.

"Last I knew New York. Why? What is going on Happy?" Charlie asked.

"_Don't worry about it. Just wanted to know how you felt about him." _Happy said. _"Next weekend, we're going out. Saturday night, you're mine." _He hung up the phone.

"Well good bye to you too." Charlie said, shoving her phone back in her pocket.

Carson wandered into the living room.

"Hey mom? Can I..?" He was cut off with Charlie saying, "Oh could you go switch the laundry? Thanks baby." She said, walking by Carson and heading to the kitchen. Carson groaned and walked to the kitchen opening the door next to the pantry and heading down to the basement. Charlie began wiping countertops down. Carson soon lugged a basket of laundry up the stairs. Charlie finished wiping down the counters and with a short clean your room walked down the hallway and into the den which held the family computer. She sat down on the floor and began folding clothes roughly, sorting as she went.

Azalia walked into the room. "Everything okay mom?"

"It's fine." Charlie said, shortly.

"Heard from Happy?" Azalia asked. Charlie paused.

"Yeah, he's in Tacoma. There's a charter up there." Charlie said, delicately folding a t-shirt. Azalia sat down and picked up a pair of jeans. Azalia continued to help her mother in silence for a few minutes.

"He asked about Jesse didn't he?" The teen asked, adding a shirt to Carson's pile.

"How could you possibly know that?" Charlie asked.

"Well, when asked about my sperm donor, you get sad and scared. When asked about Carson's, you get pissed off. So what did Happy want to know about Jesse?" Azalia stated matter-of-factly. Charlie just shook her head.

"Just wanted to know where he was and how long it had been since I'd heard from him. Just bugs me that he had to bring him up. I hate talking about him. I told Happy about him, but no real details. Just UGH!" Charlie said, slamming the jeans in her hands down. "Men suck!"

"Nice mom. Thank you for making my romantic future look bright." Azalia laughed. She picked up her pile of clothes and stood up. "It seems like Happy's really got a thing for you. Gemma told me he's never shown any interest in a chick past a one night stand." Charlie stood up grabbing a stack of Carson's clothes on the way.

"Well were going out next weekend so I guess that's a good sign."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy went to Casanada Wednesday night. He walked in the door and the bartender immediately went to serve him, the cut on his back garnering instant respect in the place.

"What can I getcha?" The girl asked.

"Beer and I need to see Sunshine." The girl pouted but handed him a long neck.

"Sunshine's onstage she'll be done soon." Happy turned and looked at the stage and saw her. Brilliant blonde hair, tanning bed junkie, all legs and tits, at first he thought she was hot then Charlie flashed through his mind and he shook his head. This stripper had nothing on the woman in Charming.

Happy found himself a quiet booth and watched as Sunshine finished her routine. The girl from the bar walked over and whispered something in the bright haired woman's ear. Sunshine turned and headed towards Happy.

"Private dance is fifty dollars, honey." Sunshine said as she sat down next to him. Happy reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash peeling off five twenties.

"Need a favor, darlin'. Know a guy named Jesse Vitolo?" Happy said tossing the money in her lap.

"Ugh, yeah. He's a creep comes in here bitching about everything. Kids, wife, ex-wife, I've heard his whole story. It's kinda annoying but he pays well." She said standing up and working her way around the pole in the center of the table.

"Well I need some time with this guy think you can help me?" Happy asked.

"Oh sure sugar, he's always in on Fridays. I'm sure I can get him in a back room for you. That is if you pay well enough." Sunshine flipped herself upside down and slid down the pole before crawling towards him.

"Five hundred when it's done. And that includes your keeping your mouth shut fee." Happy said, watching as she straddled him.

"Deal honey. He comes in around eight, see you then." She walked off, tucking the hundred into her top as she went. Happy finished his beer and got up and left.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie had continued her week as she normally would. Taking the kids to school, cleaning house, working at the store, same routine as always. But this week she could feel an excitement humming through her. She woke up Thursday morning to the house being completely silent. She looked at the clock and it read 9:30.

"Shit!" She shouted, flying out of bed. She ran down the hall to find the kids rooms empty. Running down to the kitchen it was empty. There was a note propped up on the table.

_Mom, relax. We turned your alarm off. I walked Carson to school this morning, you've been too tired this week and deserve to sleep in. I called Caroline she's gonna open the store for you. Rest you're not needed til noon._

_Z and Carson_

Charlie heaved a sigh of relief. She walked back upstairs, marveling at her children. She took a long steaming hot shower, took time and blow-dried and straightened her hair. She was applying make-up as her phone went off. She opened the text message to see it was from Gemma.

_Why aren't you at the store?_ Charlie sighed and quickly replied, _the kids turned my alarm off, gave me a sleep in. I'll be there at noon._ Charlie finished her makeup and went and quickly threw on a pair of dark bellbottoms, a red loose fit top, black platforms, and a black slouchy hat to top it off. Checking the clock, she saw she had half an hour before needing to be at the shop. She walked down stairs lighting up a smoke as she went.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy awoke to Wolf pounding on his door.

"Happy I need news!" Happy flew out of bed and wrenched the door open.

"Everything is set for Friday night. Get his attention, he blows me off I follow him home and take care of it there." Happy glared down the Tacoma president. Wolf nodded. Happy closed the door and fell back on the bed. Kozik flung the door open.

"So you gonna tell me about this bitch?" He said walking right in the door. Happy growled.

"No." He said, shortly. Kozik made himself comfortable in a chair that was always in the corner of the room.

"Well something's got you twisted bro?" Kozik pushed.

"Fuck off." Happy said, not removing his face from the pillow. Kozik laughed.

"Whatever Hap. Find yourself a piece of ass." Kozik said standing and walking out the door. Happy reached over to the night stand and picked up his phone. He had one text message.

Flipping it open, he saw it was Charlie.

_Are you gonna tell me what were doin Saturday? _Was all it said. He sent back a quick _no dress warmly _and went to shower. When he climbed out of the shower, his phone was flashing.

_Spoilsport_

Happy laughed. He pulled the closest pair of clean boxers on before answering. _Just be ready._

He pulled a pair of jeans on and belted them before walking out to the bar and grabbing a beer. Eddie came over to where he was seated at the bar.

"Pulled up some more intel on this guy Vitolo." He said in an undertone. "Ex reported him as being two months behind in child support and alimony right after he borrowed money from us and there was no increase in his bank account. He took the money and did something with it but we can't tell what he used it for. Might wanna find out for what."

Happy grunted in response taking a long pull of his beer. Eddie knew better than to keep talking, Happy wasn't called the Tacoma Killer for nothing. Happy was prone to brooding to the point of catatonia. Anyone or anything who disturbed him was likely to end up in a catatonia. Eddie just got up and left.

Happy sat by himself at the bar thinking about the job he had that night. He wondered how Charrlotte would get by without the child support and alimony from Vitolo. _Shit! Why do I care about that? I just want to fuck her, that's all… UGH what the fuck! _Happy finished his beer and slammed the bottle on the bar. He stood up and stormed back to his room. He had a long night ahead of him.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie was on her way to pick Carson up from school. Azalia had after school tennis practice. Carson was standing outside the school with a couple of his friends, Charlie could see the soccer ball flying back and forth between them.

"Mom!" Carson called out, running over to the red Escape.

"Backpack." Charlie said. Carson went running to grab the forgotten bag. Charlie chuckled. She lit up a cigarette as Carson was stopped by a friend.

"Carson, let's go. We gotta get back to the store." Charlie hollered.

"Kay mom." She watched as he waved goodbye to his friends and began running to the suv, backpack barely clinging to his back. He flung the door open and jumped into the passenger seat. Charlie blew smoke out as she leaned and tapped her cheek.

"Mom! Not in front of the guys." Carson said, turning red. Charlie just looked at him. Carson sighed, leaned up and kissed his mom. Charlie laughed as she sat back and put the car in drive. Carson messed with the radio the entire way to his mom's store.

Charlie pulled up to the store. Carson jumped out of the car and went running into the store. Charlie flicked the last of her cigarette on the ground as she opened her car door. She walked in to see Carson jabbering Caroline's ear off. Caroline was nodding and inserting appropriate uh-huh's as she folded clothes.

"You're not even listening to me!" Carson exclaimed. Caroline paused and looked at him.

"You're mad because Allison Smuthers is going out with Bobby Gordon instead of you even though you've done everything you can to make her go out with you. You and Bobby got in a fight at lunch today over it and now Allison won't talk to you." Caroline said, going back to folding and placing merchandise. Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"You can't make a girl go out with you Carson." She said, exchanging a look with Caroline. Carson groaned.

"I know but she's so awesome. She play modern warfare and skateboards and she can name of NFL teams like it's a religion. She's so cool." Carson said, flinging his backpack into the chair behind the counter. Charlie picked up a stack of folded clothes and began sorting them according to size.

"Well just 'cause she's awesome doesn't mean she absolutely has to go out with you. She sounds like a girl who doesn't like to be told what to do. Maybe if you act interested in something she's interested in she'll come around but making her be your girlfriend is never gonna happen." Caroline said, handing another stack to Charlie.

"You know I really don't like this conversation." Charlie said, absently. "My baby should not be worried about dating."

"Moooom! I'm eleven I'm not a baby any more. Geez!" Carson said, walking to the front window.

"You'll always be my baby. Azalia is still my baby." Charlie said, not even stopping her task. Carson just rolled his eyes and pointedly inspected the mannequin in the front window. Caroline and Charlie shared a laugh as Charlie picked an outfit out to dress the mannequin.

"So what's this about a new man?" Caroline asked. Charlie blushed as she placed the outfit on the counter.

"Happy? What about him?" She asked lightly.

"Z told me he came over for movie night and you spent the entire night snuggling on the couch." Caroline said pulling shoeboxes out from under the counter.

"Okay Happy doesn't snuggle I can assure you of that."

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Where's our money?" Happy grated out. He had gone to the strip club and Vitolo was there as predicted. The idiot hadn't known what hit him when he found himself in a private room with Happy.

"I told the last fuckers that came bugging me about it. I'm not paying you back a cent of that money." Vitolo snapped. Happy reared back and clocked him right in the jaw.

"If we don't get the entire twenty-five grand back by midnight tonight I'll take it out of your hide." Happy said, pulling the knife at his belt. Vitolo scrambled from the room. Happy grinned before heading out the door himself, knife now safely stored away.

Happy walked out and climbed on his bike. He headed through town before finding himself in a residential area. He parked at the end of a street and left his bike behind some bushes. He walked four houses down and watched.

Right on cue, Vitolo screeched up into the drive. Killing the engine, he flung open the door and sprinted to the house. Happy watched as Vitolo's wife stood up from the couch, and said something. Vitolo kissed her before disappearing in the back of the house. Happy slunk around the sideyard. He screwed the silencer onto the end of the gun and pulled the ski mask out of his pocket. Sliding the mask over his head, he silently opened the back door.

Happy could hear the wife frantically asking what was going on. Vitolo's answer was less than satisfactory for the woman, who stormed off to the bedrooms. Happy turned the corner to see a study where Vitolo was opening a safe. Happy walked cat like through the room and pressed the gun to the side of the man's head. Vitolo froze.

"Changed my mind. Times up, fucker." Happy rasped out. "Open the safe." Vitolo spun the dial and opened the door. Happy could see papers and a couple stacks of money. He pushed Vitolo aside and reached into the safe, he saw life insurance paperwork, a will, and he pocketed the money. Happy flipped through the paperwork to see that Charlie was still the beneficiary to Vitolo's two-hundred and fifty thousand dollar life insurance and that she was the one who received everything from the will. Happy grinned.

"Well problem solved." Happy turned and faced Vitolo who had backed himself into a corner. "Bye fucker." Happy walked over and shoved the gun into Vitolo's mouth. Vitolo began scrambling but Happy only pressed harder. Happy pulled the trigger watching as the man's brain splattered on the wall behind him. Vitolo slumped to the floor. Happy quickly let himself out of the back door, sprinting away from the house. He had just reached his bike when he heard a scream. He started the bike and took off ditching the ski mask as he went.

Happy drove all the way back to the clubhouse. Wolf was waiting at the door. Happy threw the two wads of money at him and headed back to his room. Happy laid on the bed and took his phone out of his pocket. Turning it on, he saw he had a message.

_Excited about tomorrow night. Can't wait to see you._

Happy smiled before going to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews everyone, I've decided that this story will probably be at least twenty chapters long. So excited to get it written. **

**Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for being my lovely beta reader.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Charlie woke up Saturday morning with a feeling of total excitement. She was so excited for that night with Happy. Even her feelings of trepidation when it came to him were squashed. No run rules or worry about sluts could ruin this day for her.

Charlie climbed out of bed. She headed downstairs and saw Carson in the living room watching cartoons. He popped up and followed his mom to the kitchen.

"Mom can I stay the night at Tucker's house tonight?" He asked, watching as his mom dumped coffee grounds in the machine.

"Why didn't you ask me this yesterday?" Charlie said rubbing her face. Carson went and grabbed his mom's favorite mug. It was an overlarge one that said, bitchy until caffeinated DO NOT DISTURB. He pulled the hot chocolate out and dumped three packets in the mug. Charlie stood at the counter eyes half lidded from sleep.

"Well, Tucker just text me this morning. He said that his mom said it was okay if I stayed the night. Please mom please?" Carson pulled the full puppy dog pout. Charlie just stared at him. He sighed, and went and poured the coffee into the mug stirring as it poured. Handing the mug to his mom, he watched as she took a deep drink.

"Sooooo?" Carson asked. Charlie chuckled.

"I'll have to talk to Tricia before I say yes but if _she_ tells me its okay then yes you can go." She said, watching as he whipped out his phone and began frantically texting. Charlie took her coffee and walked back upstairs. She walked into her room and pulled her phone off the charger. Right as she was about to put it in her pocket, _Rest for the Wicked_ began playing. She looked and saw that it was indeed Tricia calling. She tapped the answer button and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Charlie. Tucker insisted I call as soon as Carson texted and said you were up."_ Tricia Logston's voice came over the line. Charlie laughed.

"Well aren't they insistent. I hadn't even had my coffee yet when Carson was asking me." She said, hearing Tricia laugh.

"_Well Carson's more than welcome to stay the night tonight. Lucas Grover and Brian Arman are coming over as well so it'll be a boys night." _Tricia said. Charlie went for her cigarettes on the night table. Lighting one up she said,

"Well its actually good timing."

"_Why is that? Someone got a hot date?" _Tricia asked. Charlie chuckled.

"You're lucky your one of my good friends or I'd tell you to kiss off. But yes I have a date." Tricia squealed. "God you're such a fifteen year old sometimes."

"_Oh you love it. So who's the guy? What's he like?"_ Charlie cringed a little.

"Weeell. He goes by Happy." She said.

"_Interesting nickname. He from around here?" _Tricia asked.

"Not exactly he comes and goes as he's needed." Charlie said evasively.

"_Who is he? How did you meet him?"_

"Well Azalia blew the motor in the truck and we had it towed to Teller-Morrow and that's where I met him." Charlie said, waiting for the reaction.

"_Is he one of the Sons?" _Tricia asked.

"Yeah." Tricia was silent for a long moment.

"_Does he make you happy?"_

"Very Trish. It's insane. Azalia pointed out that he's the first guy since Jesse split that I've been interested in at all." Charlie said, looking over at the doorway as she heard footsteps. Carson walked into the room asking if he could go or not. Charlie gave him a thumbs up and shooed him out of the room.

"_Well I guess all I can do is say YAY and be happy for you babe."_ Tricia said.

"Thanks, well Carson's already packing for tonight what time do you want him over there?" Charlie asked, hearing soft thuds from Carson's room.

"_Oh whenever he wants to come over. Are you bringing him or is he bringing his bike?"_

"Probably bringing his bike you only live three blocks away." Charlie said.

"_Well the house is ready whenever. Have fun on your date. I want details in the morning."_

"Alright I'll talk to you later doll. Bye."

"_Bye."_ Charlie got up and went to check on Carson.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy woke early on Saturday morning and quickly got on the road. The drive seemed to drag on as he headed towards Charming. He was still setting up what he wanted to do with Charlie that night. Though the text he had gotten this morning showed that she was really excited.

_What time will you be here? I'll be waiting._

Happy was still working on getting the rage he had felt at Vitolo out of his system and the sweet butt he'd fucked the night before hadn't done a damn thing to help it. He'd ended up kicking her out before he'd even finished because she just wasn't doing anything for him. She was very upset and he heard her shrieking halfway down the hall before he landed face first on the bed. _God damnit! I can't get that redheaded bitch out of my mind. Fuckin' Christ. This is ridiculous. I'm just gonna fuck her and get it out of my system._

Happy Had passed out right as he'd finished that thought. Now he was barreling down the road toward Charming. Clay was surprised to hear he was coming back so soon but was happy to hear the killer was coming down.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie had just climbed out of the shower when she heard Azalia calling for her.

"Mom?"

"Bathroom babe." Charlie hollered, putting on her robe. Azalia walked into the bathroom as Charlie was pulling the blow drier out of the bathroom closet.

"So I was wondering if I can stay the night at Jessica's house." Azalia said, leaning against the doorframe. Charlie plugged the drier into the wall and turned to her daughter.

"You're still grounded missy." She said staring her daughter down.

"I know but you can call Jessica's mom. I swear we're just gonna hang out and watch movies and be normal irritating teenagers. Plus you've got that date tonight. You'd have the house all to yourself. Just you and that sexy hunk of Latino man beast." Charlie burst out laughing at the last statement.

"Have Larissa call me before I decide. But you've helped your case for a girl's night with how well you've behaved this week." She said, turning the blow drier on and starting to dry her hair. Azalia did a little happy dance and ran to her mom's night table where the house phone sat. She quickly dialed a number. Charlie could see her talking very rapidly before bounding over to the bathroom. Charlie turned the hair dryer off and accepted the receiver.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Charlotte. It's Larissa Smith. Jessica wants Azalia to spend the night. She's more than welcome to stay. I'll be here watching them."_

"Well Azalia is supposed to be grounded but she's been very well behaved this week so I guess she can go." "YES!" "So long as she stays there and goes nowhere else." Azalia jumped in the air before sprinting out of the room. Charlie laughed.

"_I'll see her in a little bit then?"_

"Yeah I'll bring her over in about half an hour. If that's alright?" Charlie said walking out of her bathroom and heading to the closet.

"_Sounds perfect. See you then."_ Larissa hung up the phone. Charlie tossed it on the bed as she pulled a t-shirt off the shelf in the closet. She pulled it over her head and felt a pair of sweat pants hit her.

"Thanks kiddo. Love you too." She said, yanking the pants on.

"Yeah yeah." Azalia said. "Before I go, we'd better find your clothes for tonight."

"I already know what I'm gonna wear tonight Z. From top to bottom." Charlie said, pulling the outfit out of the closet for her daughter to see. Azalia looked over the clothing as it hit the bed.

"I like good choices. Now you need some kick ass heels and it'll be perfect." She said. Charlie rolled her eyes.

"I don't have to wear heels with everything. I was thinking these." Charlie said, tossing a pair of boots at her daughter. Azalia examined the outfit critically.

"I suppose those will work." She said, examining the deep blue, long sleeved, v-neck fitted top, dark rinse skinny jeans and dark blue, low heeled, slouch boots. Charlie scoffed.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence in my fashion sense. I only own a clothing store." She said.

"Gotta go, mom. Jessica's waiting for me. Let's move." Azalia said, popping off the bed and heading out the bedroom door. Charlie slid into flip flops before following Azalia.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy pulled into the Charming lot at 4:00. Clay came out to greet him.

"Hap. What brings you our way?"

"Gonna go see my mom on Monday." Happy said, as he parked. "Figured I'd get set up in my dorm room before heading out for tonight." Clay raised an eyebrow.

"Going out tonight?" Clay asked, a smirk crossing his face.

"Gonna see Charlie." Happy said shortly, grabbing his bag and heading for the clubhouse before Clay can say anything else.

Gemma pulled into the lot. Clay walked over to her Caddy and leaned down to kiss her.

"Happy's back?" She asked opening the door.

"Yup."

"He here to see Charlie." She asked, straightening her clothes.

"Supposedly he's supposed to go and see his mom. Charlie just happens to be conveniently close by." Clay said, chuckling. Gemma tossed her head back and laughed.

Happy walked into the clubhouse. Bobby called out for him. Happy turned and joined Bobby at the bar. The prospect handed Happy a beer as he sat down next to Bobby.

"What are you doing back so soon brother?" Bobby asked. Happy took a long pull of the beer before answering.

"Gotta go see mom."

"So it has nothing to do with our little darling Charlie." Bobby said, pointedly staring at the bar. Happy growled. "Look man." Bobby said. "We're all a little overprotective when it comes to Charlie. Her parents moved her here from Iowa when she was twelve and they did it to get as far away from the father of her oldest as they could. Charlie hasn't had it easy. She had to talk Jax out of killing her ex husband when he left. Azalia gives her hell. And from what we can tell she can barely keep her head above water financially. Her business is fine but her ex left her with a lot of debt bill wise. She needs someone who's gonna take care of her. You think you can handle that brother?"

Happy sat there considering.

"I'm gonna see how tonight goes and then I'll answer you." He said, lighting up a cigarette. Bobby just shook his head.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie heard a knock at the door. She looked up at the clock, she saw it was 8:30. She climbed off the couch and stretched before heading to the front door. Glancing out of the keyhole, she opened the door to let Happy in.

"Hey stranger, come on in. I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet." She said, stepping to the side to let him in. Happy looked around surprised at how quiet it was.

"No kids tonight?" He asked, pulling his smokes out of his pocket. She smiled at him, pulling a lighter out of her pocket and lighting the cigarette for him. She saw his eyes staring at her through the tendrils of smoke curling around him. She bit her lip as she looked at him, her breath caught in her throat before she abruptly turned and walked to the living room.

"Come sit, kids are out for the night. They just had to have sleepovers tonight." Charlie said, snatching her cigarettes off the end table and curling up on the couch. Happy leaned against the doorframe, watching as she lit up a cigarette and blew a careful stream of smoke out. He looked her over. She had straightened her hair making the black streaks very obvious. He loved the way the slim fit jeans hugged her legs all the way down to the boots that adorned her feet. The deep blue of her shirt made her skin glow. She was much shorter than his 6'4" stature, he'd guess she was around 5'7" though the low heels he could see made her about 5'9".

Charlie sat there smoking, sneaking glances at Happy. _He really is sexy as fuck._ She took note of the full sleeve tattoos that he had. Charlie's fingers twitched as the desire to trace all of those tattoos flooded through her. She pointedly looked away to tap ashes into the ashtray. She stilled as Happy's hand came into her line of vision and copied her actions. She shakily took another drag before stubbing the smoke out.

"Want something to drink? There's a bottle of Captain in the freezer that is screaming my name." She said standing and adjusting her top, giving Happy a look down her shirt that he definitely took. She ran her fingertips from shoulder to wrists as she passed him.

She walked into the kitchen and paused in front of the refridgerator to take a deep breath. Yanking the freezer door open she pulled the bottle of Captain Morgan out. She quickly pulled two shot glasses out of the cupboard. She heard footseps approaching. Her heart skipped a beat as Happy's hands slid around her hips. She quickly poured two shots and picked them up. Turning around she handed one to him and tossed the the other back. She set the glass on the counter and looked up, watching as he tilted his shot back. His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Charlie raised her hands and rested them on his chest, just where his cut draped open to show the white Reaper t-shirt he was wearing. Her hands slid under his cut, feeling the muscles that lined his chest. Happy set his glass down and reached up, fisting his hand in her long, thick hair. He pulled taut, forcing Charlie to stare up at him. He took in her wide green eyes, inspecting them noting the gold flecks that scattered throughout the green. His eyes traveled down her face, seeing the high cheekbones, petite nose with tiny freckles scattered across it, down to the full mouth that was parted slightly.

Happy growled before crushing his lips to hers. Charlie slid a hand up to cup his jaw. Charlie gasped into the kiss as Happy lifted her up on to the counter making them level. She moaned as he ravaged her mouth. Happy released his hold on her hair, and rested his hand firmly on her ass. _God why the fuck is she so perfect?_ He thought sliding a hand under her shirt, feeling his hand glide over silky skin.

_God this is amazing. He's so forceful but its so sexy…_ Charlie stopped thinking as he broke the kiss and began to trail his lips down her neck.

"Hap…" She said trailing off as Happy bit her collarbone.

"What?"

"Countertop is not a good- OH!- place for this. Bedroom upstairs." Happy said nothing just picked her up and carried her up the stairs. Charlie grinned into the kiss. Pulling away she said,

"What happened to going out?"

"Fuck that." Happy growled shoving her bedroom door open. Charlie let out a small chuckle before ducking her head and pressing her lips to his. Her tongue gently traced the line of his lips before he bit her bottom lip. He sucked at it before letting go and flinging her on her bed. She landed sprawled where she watched as Happy shrugged his cut off and laid it on her dresser. He turned to her and she smirked at him. He walked over and hauled her up she ripped his shirt up over his head as she came to her knees.

Charlie's eyes went wide as she took in the tattoos that littered Happy's body. She ran a finger down the coil of a dragon, before saying, "Those are incredible. Now let's see which ones of mine you can find." Happy smirked.

"Alright." He said, grabbing the base of her shirt and pulling up. She ran her fingers through her hair as he chucked her shirt to the floor. He turned and stopped. Charlie had more ink that he'd originally believed. He could see a saying wrapping around the left side of her rib cage and flowers with words around them creeping up her left side.

"That is sexy." He said, reaching for her. Charlie smiled.

"Glad you think so." She crushed her mouth to his. He pushed her back on the bed, kissing his way down her neck as he laid himself over top of her. Charlie ran her hands over his back, feeling the muscles flex as his body moved. She sighed.

"God…" She murmered, eyes fluttering closed as he reached around to undo her bra. She quickly stripped herself of the lacy item, as Happy reached up and took her nipple between his fingers, his mouth quickly covering the other one. Charlie's nails dug into his back as he teased her. He slid his hand down her body moving towards the button on her jeans. He quickly undid it, sliding her jeans down her hips taking her boots off with them. He sat back looking over her in her lace panties. She shyly slid a hand to cover her stomach. Happy reached down and moved it.

"Nothing to be ashamed of darlin'. C'mere." He said pulling her up.

"Happy?" She said. He looked her dead in the eyes. "Can't you just fuck me please?" Happy quickly shucked his jeans, pushing her back on the bed. She crawled towards the top of the bed where Happy met her ripping her panties off. She toed his boxers off. He captured her mouth in his, his hand sliding down to her core. He slid one finger in her, cock twitching as she moaned. Her back arched pushing her breasts into him.

"God damn woman." He said. "What are you doing to me?"

"Well," She said, breathlessly. "Hopefully fucking you if you'd hurry up and do it already." Happy growled. He added another finger to his assault on her delicate pussy. Her mouth opened in a silent 'O' as her back arched as the pleasure building in her core exploded and flooded her body.

Happy quickly entered her, his eyes closing as he felt how tight she was around his hard cock.

"Fuck!" Charlie moaned. He was long and thick inside her , filling her to the point that it was almost painful. He began moving in and out of her. Slowly at first until she clawing at his back begging for more.

"Harder please Hap…" She said, biting his neck. He sped up, thrusting harder and faster, fueled by the moans and whimpers coming from Charlie. She wrapped her legs around Happy's waist, he groaned feeling her become even tighter than he thought possible. He thrust harder and harder. Charlie could feel the tight ball of pleasure building.

"Please Hap. God please I'm there baby." Charlie said, breathlessly. Three thrusts later, fireworks exploded behind her eyes as she came. Happy came with a groan moments later. They lay there unmoving for a few minutes, Happy tucked his head in her hair. Charlie lightly placed her hand on the back of his head, rubbing small circles with her fingertips. Happy pulled out of her causing her to let out a sigh.

Happy rolled on his back, pulling Charlie to his chest. _Yeah I'm in this. I'm so fucked._


	10. Chapter 10

Charlie woke up around one in the morning. She could see that the lamp and T.V. were on. The touch of a finger tracing over her skin made her smile.

"Hey." She said, rolling onto her back. Happy stared down at her.

"Glad to see your awake." Happy rasped out.

"Yeah well I had a tiring night." She said, her smile turning into a smirk. Happy ran his hand of the flowers on her right side. He had spent some of the time she was sleeping tracing over the tattoos he can see.

"You have more flowers than you do kids." He said, Charlie looked down at her side.

"Yeah well I wanted more kids than what I have when I got this I got extra to leave for future ones… and well it just looked better than having two random flowers." She chuckled, running her fingers over the script that rolled through the flowers. Azalia and Carson's names and birthdays were inked in among the petals of the lotus flowers.

"What about this one?" Happy asked, trailing fingers over the saying that wrapped around the left side of her ribcage.

"It's the complete saying in English of the one I have on my neck." Charlie said, looking up and tracing a finger down his jaw. "It says 'No matter what happens today, don't worry. Tomorrow is a new day.' My mom used to tell me that whenever I had a rough day as a kid. It became like a mantra for us. The Dutch is the way my great grandmother told my mother when she was little." Happy trailed his fingers over it. Charlie leaned up and kissed him. Happy wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her over top of him.

Charlie straddled him, he was already hard and ready for her as she lowered herself onto him. Charlie's eyes fluttered closed as Happy let out a groan at the contact.

"God." He rasped out. Charlie slowly raised and lowered herself over him. Her head fell back as she felt his cock filling her completely. Happy gripped her hips forcing her to speed up her pace.

"Fuck Charlie…" He rasped out, watching her tits bounce in front of his face. Charlie looked down, eyes half lidded and saw his muscles rolling as his back curved and his arms forced her to keep the pace. She forced his hands away and slowed the pace, laying herself down over him without pausing her slow and easy speed.

"Too much for you killer?" She purred, kissing down his neck. Happy tensed before flipping her over and pounding into her. Charlie reached up and gripped the head board bracing herself against the thrusts. Charlie couldn't feel anything but his body touching hers, his dick sliding in and out of her. Every thrust built the fire coursing through her body.

Happy couldn't stop, the feeling of her was driving him insane and the soft moans and whimpers she was letting out weren't helping.

"Fuck baby, please don't stop." Charlie begged, arms now sliding down his back, nails digging in. Happy snarled at her words.

"Think I'm plannin' on it. I'm not finished with you yet." He groaned out. He pulled out of her and flipped her over pulling her to all fours before slamming back into her. Charlie soon was clawing at the sheets, screaming her release into the pillows, but Happy didn't stop 'til she was screaming again. That time he joined her.

Charlie laid flat on her stomach, mumbling something. Happy nudged her. She turned her head and said,

"God I hope you stick around to do that again."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie and Happy woke up the next morning to the sound of the house phone ringing. Charlie sleepily rolled away from Happy and smacked at the night stand, searching for the obnoxious item. She found it and picked it up.

"This better be fuckin' good." She grumbled into the phone.

"_Is this Ms. Charlotte Ryzdale?" _A man's voice flowed smoothly through the phone.

"Depends on whose calling?" She said, a small smile crossing her face as she felt Happy's arm wrap around her waist. He pulled her into him as the man said,

"_This is Royce Kingston, calling from Howard, Darcy, and Kingston law firm. We're calling about Jesse Vitolo."_ Kingston had a pompous voice, that was not sitting well with Charlie at nine o' clock on a Sunday morning.

"I'm not going to New York for that jackass." She said, bluntly, curling tighter into Happy.

"_We're based in Tacoma, Washington. We're calling to inform you that Mr. Vitolo is now deceased and you need to come to Tacoma for the reading of his will and to take care of his life insurance." _Charlie shot straight up in bed, much to Happy's discomfort._ "The funeral is Tuesday. Morgan Funeral Home is handling all the arrangements as per request from Ms. Anne-Marie Vitolo."_

"You mean to tell me you want me to take my kids out of school and drive a long ass way to hear that the woman that asshole left me for is getting everything? You've got another thing coming buddy?" Charlie snapped. Happy smirked, he liked this side of Charlie.

"_Ma'am I can assure you that is not the case. Just please come to Tacoma, you have my word that everything will be taken care of in a timely manner and to your benefit." _Kingston said, crisply.

"Be there Monday. And I better not be schlepping my ass across two states for nothing." She said hanging up the phone.

"What was that?" Happy asked, pulling Charlie down to curl into him. She sighed as she tossed the phone on the floor next to the bed.

"My ex-husband is dead and some jackass lawyer decided that early in the fuckin' morning was a good time to call and tell me that. Something about wills and life insurance. Dunno why I'd care, he probably changed it all after we got divorced." She said, placing a kiss on the side of his neck.

"You should go." Happy said, tracing a finger over the exposed ink on her side.

"Why? All he ever did for me was fuck me over in every way possible. He left me for a girl who didn't have kids, didn't have a past, and was a hell of a lot better looking than me. Still had the perfect supermodel body. And when he left, he left me all his bank debts, didn't pay child support until the divorce was finalized a year and a half later. So I really don't care to go up there and hear how the mother fucker screwed me over again and have to comfort my youngest child while I'm at it." Charlie said, eyes boring in to Happy's.

"I'll go with you." Happy said, surprising himself. Charlie sat up.

"Really?" She said. "You don't have to."

"There's a charter up in Tacoma. I'm a member there." He said, _What am I doing? Fuck this gash has got me all twisted around._

"Oh. But you're cut says Nomad." She said, obviously confused.

"That's recent all my shit's still in Tacoma."

"Oh." She said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. He reached up and fisted his hand in her hair.

"We gotta get you a helmet. Azalia is driving Carson up." He said. Charlie stared at him wide eyed. She said nothing for several moments.

"Well. I guess I'd better get ready." She climbed out of Happy's embrace, gently untangling his fingers from his hair. He sighed, climbing out of his side of the king-sized bed. Happy took the time to inspect the room while Charlie went to the bathroom. He heard the shower turn on as he took in the king sized bed cherry oak four poster bed, the matching night stands and dresser with a television on top of it. The closet was by the bathroom, catty corner to the door leading into the room. The walls were painted cream to match the patterns in the deep brown and cream of the bed set.

"Happy?" Charlie called from the bathroom.

"Yeah?"

"You need a shower babe? You can join me if you'd like. No fun stuff though." She said, peeking out the door. Happy rubbed a hand over his face.

"Yeah. Be there in a sec." He called into the bathroom. He pulled all his clothes together before joining her in the shower.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Six cups of coffee, half a pack of cigarettes, three packed bags, and several curse words later, Charlie had the car packed and was picking Azalia up from her friend's house.

"Why are we going to Tacoma? That's a long ass drive." Azalia whined, full blown pout in place.

"Jesse kicked it so we have to go up for the funeral and paperwork. You're driving the Escape up there." Charlie said, yanking yet another Marlboro menthol out of the pack laying on the dashboard.

"Why the hell am I driving?"

"Happy wants me to ride on the back of his bike. He's offered to come with us and I've accepted. And I need some time to think about this whole thing. And I won't be able to do that sitting next to your brother 'cause seeing his face is too much." Charlie said shortly, angrily trying to light the coffin nail hanging out of her mouth. Azalia sat back in her seat as they pulled into their driveway. Happy's bike was already parked there. Carson's bike was on the front porch. Charlie and Azalia looked at each other, a little shocked and somewhat horrified at the thought of Carson tormenting the silent biker. They practically ran into the house fearing the worst.

To their shock, Carson was sitting on the living room couch playing a video game while Happy was nowhere to be found. Azalia went and sat on the couch pulling out the Cosmo that her mother had bought for her on their way home. Charlie walked to the kitchen and packed a small cooler for the kids to have on their way to Tacoma. She set that in the front entrance as she headed for her bedroom. She was not surprised to find Happy laying on her bed.

"Hey sexy. You ready to go? You can still back out you know?" She said, leaning against the doorframe. Happy looked over at her taking in just how surprising long her legs were in the jeans and black flat slouch boots she was wearing so fond of wearing.

"Yeah we gotta stop in Oakland on our way." Happy said, not moving from the bed. Charlie cocked her head.

"Why there?"

"Bike shop gotta get you a helmet and some real riding boots." He said. Charlie bit her lip.

"I don't have the money for that not if I'm gonna put gas in the Escape." She said, going to the closet and pulling out her fitted grey suede hip length jacket. Sliding it over the brilliant white tank top she was wearing, she crawled across the bed to sit next to Happy.

"Don't worry about it. I got it." Charlie smiled taking his hand in hers and tracing over his fingers.

"Carson say anything? I haven't been able to talk to him." She asked, eyes downcast. Happy could see that her son was her biggest worry.

"He didn't say anything to me. Didn't figure he would. Seems pretty pissed though," Happy said.

"But how did he seem? I know you can read people Hap. Was he sad, angry, upset, anything?" Charlie was almost hysterical. Happy turned his hand and gripped hers.

"Charlie." Was all he said. She took a deep breath.

"Sorry. It's just that's my baby. I hate to think he's hurting." She said, pulling away from Happy.

"He's mad. Dunno why, didn't ask, but that's what he seemed like to me, alright?" He said pulling her to his side.

"Alright." She said her voice small. Happy wrapped his arms around her briefly before they heard footsteps on the stairs. Charlie sat up as Carson came into the room.

"Hey baby boy." She said, softly. Carson looked over the bed taking in Happy laying there like he lived there. His nose wrinkled a little as he turned his eyes to his mom.

"I don't wanna go to Tacoma." He said, shortly. Charlie reached out for him as Happy climbed out of the bed. Carson went and curled into his mother's side. Happy looked back in the room as he reached the door. Charlie had Carson completely in her lap and had her arms wrapped around him as he sat there not willing to speak.

_This shit is way too domestic. What the fuck is wrong with me? Kids, woman, I don't have Old Ladies. God damn it! I kill people, she wipes noses. I spend all my time on the road, she has a house, business and family. But she's like a fuckin' drug. Got her in my system and I need more. Fuck I'm in this. Fuck fuck fuck! _He thought as he walked down the stairs. Azalia was in the den, he could see her on the computer typing furiously at something. He paused in that doorway and looked over her. Could he really be down for the whole woman and kids thing? He'd only know this woman two weeks and now he was taking her to Tacoma on his bike. He'd never had a bitch do this to him before. Jesus, he'd better not take her to the clubhouse. The sweetbutts there had a fondness for him and he didn't want to see what Charlie would do about that… He'd better make sure there were no sledgehammers around. He smirked at the thought.

Azalia turned and looked at him. She cocked her head to the side looking eerily like her mother.

"Why are you going with us?" She asked bluntly. "You don't know us." Happy just stared her down but the teen was definitely a defiant one. She glared right back at him.

"I don't have to explain anything to you. Your mom's okay with it that's all that matters to me." Happy said, shortly.

"Well just so you know, me and Carson are your breaking point. You fuck up with us buddy and your ass is gone."

"Azalia Ann Ryzdale I suggest you watch your language before I wash your mouth out." Charlie's voice came from the stairway. "And he doesn't have to explain. I've heard his explanation and also I raised you to be a lot more polite than this. Don't make me look like a bad momma."

Azalia glared at Happy a moment longer before standing up and flouncing out of the room. Happy turned to Charlie who sighed tiredly.

"You were right." She said. "Carson doesn't want to go to the funeral of the man who abandoned us and he doesn't want to see the hag that he left us for." Happy ran a thumb across Charlie's cheek.

"Let's go darlin'."

_-_-_777_-_-_

The drive to Oakland was shorter than it seemed. Charlie followed Happy from her house all the way to the place he was looking for. They pulled up in front of the shop and Charlie got out and locked the kids in the Escape. Happy wrapped an arm around her neck and steered her into the shop. Charlie was surprised to see everything they had. She looked at Happy.

"Um… You should probably just pick stuff you know is good and I'll try it on." She said. He let out a chuckle.

"You own a clothing store." He said, smiling down at her. Charlie scoffed.

"Just because I can accessorize like a fiend doesn't mean I know shit about this babe." Happy led her further into the store. He pulled her into the women's shoe aisle, which she noticed was very small.

"Find your size and something you like and I'll tell you yes or no." He said. Charlie looked off wide eyed before peering down the aisle. She promptly picked out a pair of boots and held them up for approval. Happy shook his head to the first three pairs but the last pair he gave her the go ahead to try on.

"These are actually comfy." She said admiring the mid-calf length black boots with a very low heel. Happy just smiled and gestured for her to take them with her. He took her over to the helmets and tossed one at her she caught it awkwardly. It was like Happy's just smaller and had a white dragon pattern already on it. He told her to try it on. She complied and he quickly took her to check out. Her eyes grew wide at the total and her jaw dropped when Happy dug in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and paid with that.

They exited the store to see Azalia fling her hand back and smack her brother. Charlie didn't even hesitate, she was at the car, door unlocked, and chewing ass before Happy had even gotten his sunglasses on. Happy was impressed.

"Azalia you have to ride with your brother for the next seven hours. You will have the radio. We hit Tacoma and he has one bruise I didn't already know about I will tan your fucking hide! Carson, your portable dvd player is in the black bag in the back, there are headphones and your dvd case too. The car charger is already plugged in. Start a movie and keep your mouth shut." Charlie said, changing her shoes. She quickly pinned the top half of her hair back before setting her sunglasses on her nose.

"Yes ma'am." The two said dully. Charlie handed the keys to Azalia.

"You follow Happy. He turns you turn. You need to stop for gas flash your lights three times. We're gonna find the closest hotel once we hit town." She said, turning to see Happy watching her. He gave her a brief nod. "Now give me hugs and we'll be on our way." The two kids moaned and groaned as they complied.

Happy kissed Charlie as she reached him.

"Last chance to back out." She said. Happy shook his head, handing her helmet before putting his own on. She smiled and quickly put it on climbing on the back of the bike. They took off.


	11. Chapter 11

**So I'm thrilled with how people are responding to the story. My best friend read it and decided to try her hand at writing fanfiction and help me with this story. So a big hand for **_** .**_

**I tried to bring the killer in Happy out a bit in this chapter. Let me know what ya'll think.**

**Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for looking this over for me.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Charlie had a blast riding on the back of the bike. She could feel every muscle that lined Happy's back. She ended up holding on the bitch seat's strap part of the way and took the time to trace the patches on his back when they rode down straight stretches of the road. Azalia stopped them three times to get gas and once 'cause Carson needed the bathroom. The trip took almost 14 hours.

Charlie climbed off the back of the bike. It was almost two in the morning by the time they had found a halfway decent hotel and her ass was numb. Carson was passed out in the passenger seat of the Escape and Azalia was on her third coffee of the night. Happy was the only one that showed no sign of fatigue. The night clerk was rude and Charlie finally snapped.

"Listen. I have two kids that are exhausted, a meeting with a lawyer at nine o' clock in the morning, and a funeral for my ex-husband to go to on Tuesday I just drove 14 hours on the back of a motorcycle and I'm really not in the mood to get jerked around so why don't you just point and click on your computer and find me a god damn room with two queen beds in it." Charlie said, her voice steadily rising until she was almost shouting. Happy poked his head in the door.

"Ma'am if you don't relax I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The bitch behind the counter said. Happy walked up and asked,

"What's the hold up?"

"Fuck this. I'll sleep in the Escape for the next three days." Happy stopped her.

"Nah. We'll go to Koz's."

"Who?" She asked, but Happy was already dialing his phone.

"_What the fuck Hap?" _Kozik's voice came through the phone.

"Need a favor."

"_What?"_ Kozik replied shortly.

"Remember Charlie. She needs a place to crash." Happy said, ignoring Charlie's glare.

"_What? You want me to put up the bitch you're fucking?"_ Kozik said, now wide awake. Happy heard him kick some sweet butt out of his bed and the gash complaining about it.

"You're the only one with the space and the dumb bitch at the hotel we found won't give her a room. We'll be there in twenty."

"_What the fuck?"_

"There's three of them get over it see you soon." Happy hung up the phone.

"Happy…" Charlie said as he led her out of the hotel. "I don't want to impose on any of your… er… friends?"

"Don't worry about it. Kozik will understand and you need to get Carson into a bed." Happy said, shortly having been listening to the preteen bitch about being tired since they stopped. Charlie sighed, she was too tired and it was too late to argue.

"Fine. But I still don't like it."

"Well get over it." Charlie glared half heartedly as she went to the Escape. Azalia was way too tired to drive anymore, the coffee having lost its effect thirty miles before. Happy made sure to rev his engine as loud as he could to piss off the people at the hotel. Charlie chuckled as she followed him. Carson was half asleep staring out the window, Azalia laying across the backseat sipping at the lukewarm coffee drink. Charlie followed Happy across Tacoma, surprised when he pulled up in front of a relatively nice house.

A tall blonde that was very familiar to Charlie, though she couldn't for the life of her figure out why, was standing shirtless in the doorway. Azalia perked up at the sight of the good looking man.

"Keep it in your pants, Z. He's too old for you." Charlie said absently parking in front of the two story house. Happy pulled his bike into the driveway next to a similar Harley. He joined Charlie at her Ford. She looked at him, he could see the exhaustion running across her face, but he also saw guilt.

"Let's get these two inside." He said, ignoring the unspoken question of 'Are you sure this is alright?' Charlie tapped Carson.

"C'mon baby bed is waiting inside." Carson sleepily opened his door and fell out of the vehicle. Azalia opened her door and slid out daintily. She helped her brother up and led him into the yard. Charlie went to the back of the Escape opening the back hatch. She grabbed the three bags, too tired to protest when Happy took two of them off her shoulder.

"Charlie, Kozik. Kozik, Charlie." Happy said shortly. Kozik nodded to her. Charlie walked in and wrinkled her nose. It was a nice house but it was very clear Kozik didn't know the meaning of the word clean. Judging from the décor and porn laying around, Kozik was single, and had been for a long time.

"Which way?" She said softly.

"Upstairs and to the left." Kozik said. Happy hung back as Charlie went up the stairs.

"I don't understand." Was all Kozik said to Happy.

"Me either brother, me either." Happy replied. Kozik just shook his head.

"You staying too?" He asked, picking his beer up off the coffee table.

"Yeah." Happy said. Charlie appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Happy? I need those bags babe." She called quietly. "Carson and Z are already unconscious and Z will be pissed if she can't find her bag in the morning."

"Come get 'em. I gotta talk to Koz." Charlie stepped lightly down the stairs. She took the bags from Happy before laying a hand on his arm. She turned to Kozik.

"Thank you. I know this is probably a pain in the ass, but it means a lot." Charlie said, a small smile crossing her face.

"I'll be up soon sweetheart." Happy said. Charlie waved meekly as she headed back up the stairs. He could hear her open the door to the room where the kids room, then it latch as she headed down to the other spare room. That door shut quietly before Kozik spoke.

"That is one fine piece of ass." Kozik said. Happy glared at him. "I know I know, off limits." Kozik laughed out.

"Better remember that brother." Happy said, displeasure coursing through his tone.

"Yeah, yeah, are you gonna tell her?" Kozik asked, settling himself into a recliner.

"That'll go over well. Yeah Charlie just so you know. I wacked your ex. Hope that's okay." Happy said, sarcastically. Kozik chuckled.

"Yeah I see your point." Happy sat down on the sofa and kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

"She gets everything." He said. Kozik's eyebrows raised.

"What?" He asked staring at Happy.

"I looked through the paperwork at the house that night. Charlie gets everything." Happy said, pulling his cigarettes out of his cut pocket. He lit one up as Kozik pushed an ashtray toward him.

"Fuck. Bet that'll be a relief." Kozik said, watching the killer closely.

"Yeah. She doesn't fight me on paying for anything. It's clear she doesn't have a lot to spend." Happy said, absently. Kozik shook his head.

"What are you doing man?" He asked. "Getting yourself all tangled up in pussy like this. Especially pussy that comes with kids."

"I have no idea." Happy replied. "She's not like any other woman I've ever met. And the kids aren't so bad. Carson just plays video games and Azalia… well… she's something. And Charlie, she's reminds me of my mom, fiercely protective but when it comes to her kids she's a whole other person." Kozik stared his jaw practically laying on the floor.

"Fuckin' Christ! This bitch really has you twisted."

"Yeah… I'm so fucked." Happy said, stubbing out his cigarette and standing.

"See you in the morning brother."

"Yeah."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie was up and moving before anyone else. She didn't have to meet the lawyers until noon and her stomach was in knots she went to the kitchen and found a coffee maker that looked like it had never been used.

"Come on come on." She murmured, searching the cupboards. "Jackpot!" She said, pulling coffee and hot chocolate out of the cupboard. It didn't take long to get the coffee brewing. Charlie looked around the kitchen and sighed.

"Okay I have to rescue this poor man from himself." She said, looking under the kitchen sink. Charlie was surprised to find a fully stocked cleaning cupboard, that looked like it had never been used. She pulled a new sponge and large, full bottle of dish soap. Picking up a bottle of 409, she discovered an unopened package of rubber gloves.

"Score!" Charlie quickly put the gloves on and set to work. She organized the dirty dishes and found the seldom used dish rack. Charlie started doing dishes, going to the living room to gather more dishes.

By the time, Kozik woke up, the dishes were done and put away, the folding table was cleared off and wiped down, and the floor was swept and mopped.

"Holy shit!" Kozik said, suddenly wide awake at the sight of Charlie sipping coffee in the middle of his sparkling clean kitchen. "Marry me." He said as he sat down heavily in the folding chair across from Charlie. Charlie laughed.

"Sorry I clean when I'm stressed. Keeps me from chain smoking speaking of which." Charlie stood and found her purse in living room. She picked up an ashtray and set it in the middle of the table as she sat back down. Kozik chuckled.

"Do I smell coffee?" He asked.

"Yeah, want me to get it for you?" Charlie said standing. Kozik stared in shock as she crossed to the cupboards.

"Yeah black is fine?" He said incredulously. Charlie quickly poured him a cup and set it in front of him. She picked up her cigarette as she sat down.

"How the hell did Happy land you?" Kozik asked. "Killa isn't exactly the domestic type." Charlie smiled, sipping at her coffee.

"More like how did I land him?" She said with a chuckle. Kozik just shook his head before taking a drink of his coffee.

"Oh my god."

"Morning." Carson said, stumbling into the kitchen rubbing his eyes.

"Morning baby. We'll get you some breakfast in a minute. I gotta run to the store." Charlie said.

"I've got food here." Kozik protested.

"No you don't." Charlie laughed. "You have freezer burnt, stale, and expired nastiness and a whole mess of half eaten take out. Half of which was molding." Kozik just scratched the side of his head. Carson went and sat in his mother's lap. She stubbed her cigarette out before wrapping her arms around her son.

"You know pretty soon you're gonna be too big for this. It makes me sad. I cried the day Z couldn't fit anymore." Charlie said.

"Mom you're such a sap." Carson said, embarrassed that his mom was talking like that in front of the really cool biker.

"I'll run to the store. What do you want?" Kozik said, standing up. Charlie quickly found a pen and scrap piece of paper and scribbled a bunch of stuff down. He took it without looking and went upstairs, reappearing with a shirt and his cut firmly in place. Carson moved to the seat that Kozik had vacated as Charlie stood and began pulling various pots and pans around.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Azalia woke up to a quiet room. She listened closely and heard the sounds of her mother downstairs. _Score. _She reached into her purse and pulled out the tiny prepaid phone she had gotten. Flipping it open she saw she had a missed call and a text.

_Where you at? You get to Tacoma okay? _Azalia smiled of course he would be worried.

_I'm fine babe. We got in at like two in the morning. We're staying with one of Happy's friends. Kodak or something? _ She replied, making sure her phone was on vibrate. She laid there a few moments surprised that her phone went off so quickly.

_Kozik? I've heard of him. _

_Yeah that's it. Mom's gotta meet with the lawyers today. I'll prolly text while she's gone._

_K. Headed to TM. Ttyl._

_Bye Kip. 3_

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy woke up to Charlie's voice.

"Babe, it's time to get up. I've got breakfast ready." He felt her hand lightly touch his back. Smart bitch, she knew to make him aware before touching him in his sleep.

He rolled over and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her on top of him. She laughed propping herself up over him. He watched the way her hair fell around them.

"Morning to you too sexy." She said softly, a smile crossing her face. He leaned up and kissed her. She shook her head and started climbing off him. "Yuck morning breath." Happy smacked her on the ass as she stood.

"Kozik asked me to marry him." Charlie said, a laugh bubbling out. Happy sat straight up in bed.

"What?" He growled out, still not fully awake just aware that he was getting really pissed.

"Come downstairs, you'll see why." She said, closing the door as she left. Happy quickly pulled his jeans on and followed the smell of breakfast to the kitchen.

He was shocked to see Azalia, Carson, and Kozik gathered in the incredibly clean kitchen. They were all chowing down on breakfast. Charlie was standing at the stove making up a plate. Carson waved at Happy.

"Oh my god. If you ever leave him come straight to me Charlie, I'll take care of you." Kozik said between mouthfuls of food. Charlie laughed as she handed the plate to Happy. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Eat up. I dunno how long I'll be gone today. Gotta find the damn place. Azalia, Carson, you guys teach Koz here how to do dishes." She said, picking her mug of coffee up off the table. Happy looked down at his plate. Bisuits and gravy, with scrambled eggs and toast. _Holy shit._ Charlie smiled at him over the rim of her mug.

"Mom, eat. Coffee isn't gonna be enough. We don't need you arrested for manslaughter 'cause some jerk in a suit pissed you off. " Azalia said, standing and taking her plate to the sink. Charlie groaned.

"Fine." She quickly fixed herself a small plate and scarfed it down. She headed out of the kitchen they heard her climbing the stairs.

"Koz." Happy said, taking a bite of food and pausing. _Damn that is good._

"Yeah Hap." Kozik said, heading to the stove for thirds.

"Keep these two today. I'm gonna take Charlie."

"What do you want me to do with them. I have to go to the clubhouse. Wolf's orders." Kozik replied as he sat back at the table.

"Take them with you for all I care. I just need them somewhere safe." Happy replied, finishing off his plate. Azalia looked back and forth between the two bikers.

"You want us to go where?" She asked. Carson paused mid-chew at the tone in his sister's voice. Happy raised an eyebrow.

"Watch it girly. You're in my town. You'll do what I say." He said. Azalia shrank back. Kozik stood up placing himself between Happy and Azalia.

"Easy Hap. She's just a kid." He said. Charlie came into the kitchen.

"What the fuck is going on?" She snapped.

"She's getting lippy." Happy retorted.

"Well she's seventeen. It comes with the territory." Charlie stood her ground as Happy glared at her. "Don't threaten my kid." Happy's whole body tensed up. Kozik quickly steered Azalia and Carson out of the room.

"Don't tell me what to do." Happy growled. Charlie crossed her arms.

"Listen up 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. Azalia is my daughter. She is my fuckin' baby and you EVER threaten her, you're gonna deal with me. Same goes for Carson. Do NOT fuck with my kids." She stated, not even flinching as Happy leaned into her.

"Tell your kid to watch her mouth and there won't be a problem."

"Guys relax. It's done." Kozik said, laying a hand on Happy's shoulder. "Charlie, I gotta take the kids to the clubhouse if Happy is going with you." Charlie turned her glare to him.

"My little boy sees anything he shouldn't while he's there, your ass is grass." She snapped turning and stomping out of the kitchen. Happy threw Kozik's hand off and stomped after her.

Azalia peeked her head out of the living room. "Well this isn't going to end well. Mom's like a nuclear bomb. Happy's about to make her detonate."

"Let's just hope there's not bloodshed." Carson piped up. Kozik looked bleakly up the stairs as Charlie started yelling. He looked at Azalia who was shaking her head.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Who the fuck do you think you are." Happy growled out as he stormed into the room where Charlie was half naked in the middle of changing. She turned to him.

"I could ask you the same thing." She snapped. "Those are my kids. MY FUCKIN' KIDS! Where do you get off threatening them?" She reached for the pants that were laying across the bed. Happy grabbed her.

"Where do you get off threatening me?!" He snarled. Charlie slapped him. He threw her to the ground.

"Let's get one thing straight." She said, climbing to her feet. "You are not their father. I am the only parent they've had for the last six years and before that they barely had a parent and a half. I don't need you causing problems with my kids when you have no right to. You don't know them you don't care about them. Back the fuck off!" Happy grabbed her and shoved her against the wall. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him as his hand pressed into her throat.

"You're right they're not my kids, but they damn sure will respect me! You fuckin' understand that?" He ground out. Charlie smirked and said with her last bit of air."Fuck you!"

Happy roared and shifted his grip to the back of her neck, crushing his lips to hers. This kiss was brutal, more like an invasion than a kiss, but lord did it turn her on. Charlie's hands came up to his shoulders where she dug her nails in hard enough to draw blood. Happy ripped her bra off, causing a small whine to emerge from Charlie. He broke the kiss long enough to say "I'll buy you another one" before he ground into her, pressing her tighter against the wall. Charlie growled against his lips biting down hard on his bottom one.

"You fucking bitch" Happy swore and swung her around so they were lying on the bed.

"Just fuck me you prick" Charlie snapped and grabbed the crouch of his jeans fumbling for the zipper. Happy grabbed her wrists and flung her back on the bed, reaching down he ripped her panties off and then undid his own jeans. Still holding her arms he flipped Charlie over on her stomach and drove his shaft inside her. Charlie gave a squeal of protest that soon turned into a moan of pleasure. Happy did not stop there, letting go of her wrists he placed one arm on her back to hold her down and wrapped her long red tangles around the other.

"Harder, God! Fuck me harder" Charlie began to squirm and writhe beneath him. Happy held her down and continued pounding until he felt her tremor with her release and allowed himself to finish. Happy collapsed beside her and pulled Charlie to him. "Now will you respect me?" He asked still panting and out of breath.

Charlie just looked at him…trying to regain her train of thought. With a very sarcastic look she said "You don't ever threaten my kids again and we will see about that respect, until then man up and stop whining, you're worse than Carson." She climbed out of Happy's arms and began rifling through her bag. He watched stunned as she calmly got dressed. He didn't get up 'til she was brushing her hair. He went up and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You have a death wish don't you?" He asked quietly. A small smirk crossed Charlie's face.

"Only on Mondays." She said, setting the brush down. She picked the makeup bag up off the dresser and continued getting ready for the meeting with the lawyers. Happy leaned down and bit at her neck. She yelped glaring at him through the mirror. He pressed a small kiss over the bite before releasing her and finding his own clothes.

Downstairs, Azalia had turned the T.V. up. Carson was watching some mindless show. Kozik was sitting in his recliner, chuckling every now and then. Azalia looked at him.

"You're crazy you know that?" She said.

"That's what the shrinks tell me."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie and Happy pulled up in front of Howard, Darcy, and Kingston law office just in time to see Anne Marie entering the building.

"Skinny Bitch." Charlie muttered under her breath. Happy just stared at her as she swaggered up to the door.

"You're in a mood this morning" he remarked. Charlie just glared at him before he opened the door. "After you, your bitchiness" Happy bowed and waved her in.

"Okay, why is this bitch here?" Anne Marie said as soon as Charlie walked through the door. Her next remark was cut off by Happy's stare as he calmly said, "That's no way for a lady to talk." Anne Marie glared at him but said nothing else as she took her seat.

Charlie sat in the other open seat across from the lawyer and next to Anne Marie. Rather than take the other open seat Happy stood behind Charlie with his arms crossed, a stoic, dark look plastered on his face.

"Ahem, Hello I assume you all are done bickering? My name is Kingston, Royce Kingston and we all have to put up with each other just long enough to settle Mr. Vitolo's last wishes.

"Which of you is Charlotte Ryzdale?" Kingston asked a look of great distain on his face.

"That would be me" Charlie raised her eyes to meet and gave him a sarcastic grin "and don't call me Charlotte, My name is Charlie"

"Well Charlie, according to the will and life insurance paperwork you just gained 250,000 dollars and a house, Mrs. Vitolo I only called you in to inform you that you should probably invest in a u-haul and some boxes."

"What the fuck do you mean she gets everything? She's not even his fucking wife! She is his ex wife low life biker-fucking scum! What am I supposed to do now?" Anne Maries face was a sickly shade of white and she was breathing heavy.

"Exactly how I said it is how I meant it Mrs. Vitolo. Now I advise you to lower your tone watch your mouth and stop insulting Miss Ryzdale and her guest."

Anne Marie slumped in her seat and started weeping, Charlie although outraged at Anne Marie's last outburst felt that tug of compassion you feel for a puppy that has been neglected.

"Mr. Kingston, sir do you handle real estate?" Charlie asked, looking down.

"Well if you're wishing to leave the house to Mrs. Vitolo, I Have a paper here you can sign and we can call it even, no extra charge, Mr. Vitolo was a friend of mine. Suppose I could cut you some slack."

"I don't want this cheap skank's charity" Anne Marie started shooting daggers at Charlie.

Charlie had finally had enough "Look bitch, I don't like you, you don't like me. You think I'm biker fucking scum and I know you're a worthless, mostly plastic home wrecker so you can take the fucking house now while I feel like playing nice or you can get the fuck out and I will sell it and keep the money to give to your dead piece of shit husband's son! You know the one he never saw because he was too busy with you?" Charlie stopped mid rant when she saw the tears rolling off Anne Marie's face and the look of complete shock on Happy's.

"Give me the damn paper to sign Mr. Kingston so I can get out of here and get on with my day." Charlie snapped. Without a word, Kingston handed the paper over Charlie signed it, threw it at Anne Marie and then snatched the stack of papers and the check Kingston had in his hand.

"Ya'll have a good day" Happy said with a grin as he hurried after Charlie who had already stormed out of the office leaving Anne Marie and Kingston staring after her with looks of disbelief and awe.

_-_-_777_-_-_

The ride on the back of the bike had down wonders to calm Charlie down. She relaxed into him arms slung low around his hips. Whenever they hit a light, he'd take his hand and run it along her arms, the caress adding to her relaxation.

All the calm vanished when she walked into the clubhouse and saw Azalia tending bar with a sweet butt, who apparently was 'showing her the ropes'. She stormed over and dragged her daughter out from there.

"Where's the key's?" She bit out. Azalia pulled them out of her pocket and handed them to her mother. Carson rose from his seat on the sofa and followed his mother and sister out of the clubhouse. Happy turned on Kozik.

"You realize I had just got her calmed down?" He said. Kozik just looked over at him. He had been so caught up in the game of pool he'd forgotten about the kids.

"Shit. How bad?" Kozik said. Happy just shook his head.

"Might wanna get home before she burns your house down." Happy said, walking into find Wolf.

"Happy." Wolf said, shortly.

"Wolf." Happy replied. The Tacoma president did not look pleased.

"Care to explain why I had a couple of kids in my clubhouse today." He asked staring Happy down. Happy didn't flinch, just stared back as he replied.

"Remember the mark from last week. The boy that was here, that was his kid, Carson." Wolf's eyebrows rose.

"And the girl?"

"Azalia. Charlie had a meetin' with some lawyers. She got everything, house, life insurance all of it." Happy said, unable to resist the smirk crossing his face. Wolf got a fierce grin on his face.

"Damn, guess that was our good deed of the week then." He joked viciously. Happy shook his head. "Where's she stayin' at?"

"Kozik's though I dunno if it'll be standing by the time I get back there. She warned him to keep an eye on her kids and she walked in here to find Z tending bar? Shit, we're all in trouble." Happy said. Wolf couldn't believe that the redhead was that frightening.

"Can't handle your woman Hap?" He asked. Happy just laughed.

"You kidding me? She got so pissed at me this morning she slapped me, throwin' her into a wall didn't do anythin' but end up with us naked and even after that she still got smart. God I wanted to kill her." Wolf whistled.

"You got a real pistol there brother. Good luck." He said, gesturing for Happy to leave.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie didn't say a word on the way back to Kozik's, Azalia just told her where to turn and she did. They got to the house and Charlie went upstairs and laid down. Carson soon joined her.

"Mom?" Charlie looked at him. She knew this conversation was coming. Carson was not one to accept offered comfort, if he wanted comfort he'd seek it out. Charlie wrapped her arms around him.

"Yeah baby?"

"Why did dad leave us?" Carson asked in a small voice. Charlie sighed.

"Oh baby boy. He didn't leave you he left Momma." She said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Carson shook his head.

"No he left me too. I heard him on the phone with you the last time he called. He didn't want me." He said, a tear trailing down his cheek. Charlie could feel the tears welling up as she looked at her little boy crying.

"Carson, your father wasn't ready to be a daddy when he found out about you. I was so excited. Your grandpa nearly exploded with happiness, but your dad was scared. He didn't know how to be a dad and he tried, he tried for a long time. But me and him weren't happy anymore and he found someone who did make him happy." Charlie said, carefully choosing her words. Carson sniffles.

"You mean like Happy does for you?" Carson asked. Charlie chuckled.

"I dunno what Happy wants, but yeah he makes me happy." She said, pulling her son tighter to him.

"But why did dad have to be with that evil hag?" Carson asked.

"Carson, that's not nice." Charlie said, holding back a smile. Carson pouted. "Your dad chose her because she's what he wanted. You and Z, you are everything that I want. I could go my whole life with just you and Z and be completely happy."

"Don't you want to replace daddy?" Carson asked.

"Every girl wants a man who'll take care of her, but that doesn't mean she needs one." Charlie said, running her fingers through Carson's hair. Carson snuggled closer to his mom.

Carson had argued about leaving Tucker's house when Charlie had called. He didn't say anything as Charlie had explained what happened. She had just come home and he was there. Charlie knew her son, and knew he wouldn't say anything until he was ready. So she waited.

Carson lay there snuggled into his mom's side for a long time, his eyes closed and his breathing evened out as his mother's heartbeat lulled him to sleep. Charlie left him there and went downstairs. Azalia was watching T.V. and flipping through a magazine. She gave her mom a smile as Charlie passed. Charlie sat herself down in the kitchen and lit a cigarette. She sat there, her head resting on her hand.

Azalia walked into the kitchen to see her mother's shoulders shaking as she cried.


	12. Chapter 12

**This Chapter is not betaed so I hope I managed to catch everything. We're loving the surprise that everyone has about Half-Sack and Azalia. Thanks to everyone for all your support. **

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Happy had come home shortly after talking to Wolf, he made himself comfortable on the couch while Azalia and Charlie had girl time in the kitchen.

"Happy?" He looked away from the T.V. at the sound of Charlie's voice. "Azalia is gonna stay here tomorrow. I'm just gonna take Carson to say goodbye to his dad, then I'm gonna drive them home." She said, softly. Happy patted the seat next to him; Charlie obliged and curled up into him. She didn't say anything more and he didn't ask her too. He could see the toll all of this was taking on her.

Charlie wasn't very vocal about herself under normal circumstances. He'd gotten the most information out of her when she was half asleep or completely relaxed. He didn't push her to talk; she just sat there silently, curled into his side. He watched T.V. as she sat there, her head lying on his chest.

Charlie took comfort in the silence. The past two days had been insanely rough and she was starting to feel emotionally drained. She took a deep breath, Happy overpowering her senses. He smelled like leather, the cigarettes he smoked, and some kinda cologne. His arm around her shoulders radiated heat, relaxing her muscles bit by bit. She surveyed what she could from where she was laying, taking in his the way his shirt lay over his well defined abs. She felt his long, muscular thighs under her hand, feeling the muscles contract as he shifted his position. She was the most at peace she'd been in years. Even with everything she was dealing with, his was the most calming presence she'd been for a very long time. She heard the front door open and close, the clomp of motorcycle boots walk into the living room.

"Hey." Kozik's voice came through Charlie's ears. Her hand fisted in Happy's jeans as her frustration reared its ugly head. Happy laid a hand over hers and she relaxed a bit. Kozik settled into his recliner. Happy started rubbing his hand over her back in slow circles.

Happy had felt her tense up when Kozik walked in. He really didn't wanna deal with another atomic blow up so he did his best to relax her. Kozik looked at Charlie.

"Is she…" He stopped when Charlie's hand went up in the air, shaking her finger at him, telling him to be quiet. Kozik's eyebrows shot up so fast they were practically airborne. Happy chuckled at his expression.

"Jesus, Hap! You wanna make this one your Old Lady? Good luck." Kozik said, running a hand through his blonde locks. Charlie sat straight up, nearly falling off the couch. Happy glared at Kozik.

"We haven't exactly talked about that. Thanks brother. Idiot…" Happy rasped out, turning to Charlie who was wide-eyed staring at him.

"Old Lady?" She asked. Kozik got up and left the room. Happy glared at his retreating figure. Charlie laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, his face carefully blank. She was shocked.

"Old Lady?" She repeated. Happy sat up straighter placing both feet flat on the floor.

"You just need to calm down. Two weeks is not long enough to be an old lady." He said, shortly. Charlie leaned back like she'd been slapped.

"Oh so now I'm not good enough to be your old lady? That's good to know." She snapped. Happy rubbed his head.

"That's not what I said. I think I could make you my Old Lady but you're not makin' it easy." He rasped out. Charlie fell silent as Happy processed what he had just said. "FUCK!" Charlie stared at him a moment.

"Do you really mean that?" She said, crawling towards him. She sat on her knees and watched him. Happy was screaming _Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck _over and over again in his head. He was the killer not some sap who let a woman fuck with his head. But Charlie wasn't like any other woman. She was soft without being a pushover. She was tough enough to challenge him and take whatever he may dish out in response. She was a loving mother, always worried about her kids. She was a fierce protector and nobody fucked with her babies. Charlie was everything he was in female form. Vicious when needed, though not murderous, had a sense of family, tough as nails, and he never found anyone better in bed.

Happy sighed. "Fuck my life yeah." He said, standing up and walking out the front door. Charlie stared after him.

He didn't come back until Charlie had already made supper.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Kip stared at his phone fighting with himself. He wanted to just text her and see how her day was. What was he thinking? He needed to end this thing with Azalia and end it quick. He didn't even want to think what would happen if Charlie or Happy found out, not to mention the rest of the club. Hell if Charlie would have walked in the door ten seconds earlier that night of the party she would of caught them in a tangled mess of clothes. What the fuck was he thinking honestly? He had even gone far enough to buy the damn girl a phone. Just so he could make sure she was ok and just to see that fucking insanely beautiful smile light up her face. "Oh hell" he said as he flipped open his phone and scrolled down to her number.

Azalia was laying upstairs in Kozik's house trying to drown out the sound of her mom and Happy bickering. She didn't know why her mom was so upset over this old lady thing. Trixie at the clubhouse had explained the difference between an "old lady" and a "sweet butt" Which Trixie was a sweet butt and seemed ok with it but personally Azalia thought she would like to be an old lady. Maybe Kip would make her his old lady once he got patched over…if he got patched. Trix had explained that too. All Azalia knew is she would most definitely not be a sweet butt ever, and she would be quick to tumble with the first one she saw even eyeing Kip. Just then she felt the little pre-paid phone Kip had given her vibrate.

_Hey babe_

Azalia smiled and quickly began pushing the little buttons on the phone

_Hey! I miss you! _

_Miss you too, how is everything there?_

_Well moms upset, I think happy is asking her to be his old lady_

_What?_

_Yea….weird she seems upset I figured she would be happy _

_Girls are weird_

_Hey! That is not polite_

_I never told you I was polite I just said I could show you a good time_

_Well you did stay true to your word, on that part I keep thinking about that night you were "baby sitting"_

_Is that what that's called these days? Shit maybe I need to make that my full time job_

_Not impressed kip_

_Sorry, I am a guy if it helps any I would only babysit you _

_Really? Are you saying you want me to be your girl friend?_

Azalia stared at her phone waiting for his response…..he was taking him a while to answer her. Which was really freaking her out…was that such a hard question. Did he really have to think about it?

_Kip?_

_Z, I don't know where this is gonna go. How about we just agree to only see each other without putting a label on this_

_I suppose_

_Are you mad?_

_No, just hurt I guess I don't see why putting a label on it would be bad._

_Your mom? Happy? The club?_

_True, I guess time will tell huh?_

_Yea babe time will tell._

_Goodnight xo_

_Goodnight beautiful dream of me?_

_Every night 3_

Azalia slid the phone back under her pillow, put her head phones back in, and slowly drifted off to sleep with the thought of Kips hands all over her running through her mind.

"Why are you grinning like a fucking idiot?" Jax walked in the club house and sat down next to Kip.

"Some girl man." Kip answered with a sly grin. Before he could react, Jax had grabbed his cell phone and was scrolling through the messages.

"Holy shit Prospect! Are you trying to get yourself fucking killed?" Jax looked up from prospects phone with a look of astonishment.

"Jax, Dude you can't tell anyone!" Kip begged.

"You better get yourself out of this mess and hope that gash isn't anything like her mother and pregnant already you fucking moron." Jax tossed the cell phone back to Kip and walked back outside, slamming the door behind him.

Shit….was all Kip could think they hadn't used a condom the first time or the second or the third…shit shit shit was she on birth control? Or not? He didn't know fuck fuck fuck his life could not get any fucking worse. He pulled out his phone debating on rather or not to send the message he knew he needed to send. Finally with a sigh of defeat he hit reply to the last message in his phone.

_Babe Ru awake?_

Azalia half asleep fumbled for the phone under her pillow and bleary eyed, read Kip's message.

_Now I am..What's wrong?_

_Well are you on birth control?_

_No, why?_

_Well don't you think we should be a little more careful then?_

_Yea, prolly my mom would flip if I got myself pregnant. But relax babe I just started today so if you don't mind I'm sleepy and have cramps so goodnight for real this time_

_Yuck, nite_

Azalia frowned at her phone and laid her head back down. _Damn men_ she thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Jax pulled into the Morrow driveway and flew into the house. Flinging the door open, he shouted,

"Mom! Do you have any fuckin' idea what you've started?" Gemma came out of the kitchen and met her son's gaze.

"Why Jax? Whatever do you mean?" She asked slyly.

"Charlie and Happy! I know you had something to do with that! And guess what? Your interference got the prospect and Charlie's daughter fuckin'. Good fuckin' job!" Jax snapped. Clay walked out from the back of the house.

"What the fuck is goin' on?" He asked, very unhappy with the shouting happening in his house.

"Ask Mom. Ask what her interfering has done." Jax snapped. Gemma just smirked. Clay looked to her.

"Hey I didn't make anything happen. I just encouraged some of it along the way." She said simply.

"Well how about you quit encouraging shit that will get the prospect landed in lock up!" Jax snapped.

"The age of consent is seventeen." Gemma snapped back. Clay rubbed a hand over his face.

"Okay, enough." He said. Jax glared at his mother before storming out of the house. Clay looked at his wife.

"You are trying to drive me insane, aren't you?" He asked.

"Never baby." She said, kissing him.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie took Carson to the funeral. It was a quiet affair, no one there really knew him or like him so Jesse's funeral consisted of Carson and Charlie, Anne-Marie and their baby, and his parents. The minister quickly said the final words over his coffin as Jesse was lowered into the ground.

Jesse's parents approached Charlie and Carson as they stood to leave.

"How are you dear?" Melissa Vitolo asked.

"I'm doin' okay. Carson say hello to your grandparents." Charlie said, nudging her son.

"Hi grandma, hi grandpa." Carson said, mechanically. Mark Vitolo reached out and pulled his grandson into a hug. Melissa pulled Charlie into a hug. Charlie looked down at Carson. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt. Anne-Marie glared at Charlie behind Melissa's back.

"Oh Charlotte." Melissa said, letting Charlie go and dabbing at her eyes. Charlie pulled Carson to her. "This is so sad. Carson and little Billy left without a father." Carson laughed. Charlie stared down at her son mortified.

"Please grandma. He hasn't been my dad in a long time. He abandoned us for a dumb blonde with a spray tan. Last time he actually called he told mom that he wanted nothing to do with us. So I didn't lose anything." Carson spat, tears coming to his eyes. Charlie pulled Carson around and hugged him to her. Melissa and Mark stared at the preteen in astonishment.

"Sorry it's been a long couple of days." Charlie said. "We need to go. I have to drive them home tonight and it's a fourteen hour trip."

"Of course dear." Melissa said. Charlie pulled Carson with her as they headed toward the bright red vehicle. Charlie quickly drove them back to Kozik's.

Happy was in the living room.

"Carson go pack your bag baby and change out of those stuffy clothes." Charlie said. Carson darted up the stairs.

"How'd it go?" Happy asked. Charlie burst out laughing.

"Carson told his grandparents how it was. It was fantastic!" Charlie gasped out between peals of laughter. A small smile crossed Happy's face.

"That must have been a sight." He said, watching as she took off the black jacket she wore, revealing a white camisole underneath.

"Yeah, their faces were classic. How was Z?" she asked, kicking her heels off.

"Stayed upstairs the whole time." He said, shortly.

"Good." Charlie said. "Well I better go pack." She picked up her jacket and shoes and headed upstairs. Within fifteen minutes, Charlie had the bags packed, had changed into lounge pants and a camisole, and packed the Escape. Happy was gonna follow her down on his bike, she just didn't know it yet.

Carson and Azalia settled into the Escape, Azalia surprisingly opting to stretch out in the backseat. Carson plugged his iPod in and soon they were they were being blasted with the sound of Eminem wrapping about apologizing to his mother. Azalia groaned and put her headphones in her ears. Charlie smiled softly at her son, who was obviously in a foul mood.

By the time they reached the California border, Charlie had heard every rap song from Eminem, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne that she could handle. Carson had fallen asleep so Charlie had plugged her iPod in and was listening to some pop princess that Azalia had told her to listen to. Azalia was lying on her side facing away from the front. Charlie could see she wasn't asleep because her iPod kept lighting up as she changed the song.

Charlie drove straight through to Charming only stopping to get gas. She noticed a single headlight appeared a couple of time behind her while she was driving and had her suspicions as to who it was but didn't think too much of it. It was almost six in the morning when she pulled into her driveway. She shot a quick text to Caroline telling her she'd be by the store towards the end of the day and unloaded the bags. Carson woke up when Charlie closed the driver door and stumbled into the house to fall back into bed. Azalia had fallen asleep around midnight and whined about having to go to school.

"Z, you are not going to school today. Go upstairs and go back to sleep." Charlie snapped. Azalia did as her mother said. Charlie unloaded all the bags and threw dirty clothes into the laundry, starting a load. She called the schools and made sure Azalia and Carson were excused before stumbling upstairs and passing out in bed, not even bothering to take her shoes off.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Azalia had spent a good chunk of the ride home texting Kip. She had really missed him while she was in Tacoma. She didn't know what it was about him that she was so attracted to but that night that he'd spent at their house 'babysitting' had been amazing. Once Carson had gone to bed, Kip had turned into a completely different person. He was funny, sweet, and when she had kissed him, the rest of the world had disappeared.

She remember the feeling of his hands on her skin, how he had felt inside her, like he was made for her. The fact that he was twenty-three hadn't even bothered her until her mother had walked in the door and he took off like a bat out of hell.

She had been so mad at him for running like that. Until a prepaid phone had shown up in her locker at school with a note attached.

_I'm sorry I had to go. Forgive me?  
>Kip<em>

Azalia had smiled broadly for the rest of the day. Her friends all confused about where the grin had come from. She couldn't tell them that a sweet biker, six years older than her had given her a phone just so she could talk to him. So she lied. Told them she'd aced her history test. Fortunately they bought her little story and no one knew about Kip and her.

As she lay curled in her bed, she thought about what she was gonna wear. Kip had the day off from Teller-Morrow and she was gonna meet him at the park. She just had to wait until her mom fell asleep to get up and get ready.

Azalia closed her eyes and fell asleep and when she opened them her alarm clock read 9:30. She flew out of bed and quickly showered. She was ready and out the door by 10:30. Kip met her at the park at 11:00.

"Hey gorgeous." He said, climbing off his bike. Azalia ran over and jumped into his arms.

"Kip!" She squealed. "I missed you. Tacoma sucked!" She leaned down and gave him a deep kiss. Kip smiled at her. She climbed off him and led him further into the park. Kip smiled at her giddiness. This girl was gonna get him in deep shit, he just knew it but when she led him into an isolated part of the park and kissed him for all she was worth, he forgot all of that and just enjoyed her. The way her body fit against his and how soft her lips were. How she flicked her tongue over his lips while running her hands through his hair. She was intoxicating. It took him a long time to take his hands off of her and push her away.

"Z, we can't keep doing this." Azalia took a step back.

"What? What are you talking about Kip?" She said, eyes starting to shine with tears.

"Jax saw me texting you. He says he'll tell your mom and I'll lose my chances at my top rocker." He said, unable to look her in the eye.

"Baby we can fix this. We'll just have to be more careful." She said, tears starting to fall down her face. Kip turned away rubbing a hand over his head awkwardly.

"Z, listen. I don't want to but I don't have a choice." He started, but Azalia cut him off.

"You do have a choice, Half Sack." She snapped, "You're just choosing wrong." She turned and started to walk away.

"God damnit!" He shouted before chasing after her. He grabbed her and pulled her to him. She tried to protest but he kissed her and she melted into him. All protests gone as her thoughts disappeared.

"Fuck." She said, as she broke the kiss. "You gonna do that every time I get upset?"

"If I have to." He said, smiling at her.

"Good 'cause a girl could get used to that." She said, smiling up at him.

"You're gonna get my ass kicked you know that right?" He said. She buried her face in his neck.

"Yeah, and I'll be the one to patch you up too."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie stood at the kitchen sink finishing up that morning's breakfast dishes. The past three weeks had been dragging by so slowly, with Happy being in Portland and the kids had just gotten out of school yesterday. Speaking of the kids, Carson had stayed the night at Tyler's house, but she had not seen Azalia all morning, she had eaten and then took off out the door like her ass was on fire. Charlie had eased up on the grounding, she was even thinking about going and replacing Azalia's cell phone. Maybe she would do that today, after she stopped by Teller-Marrow. She was going to go down and talk to Gemma, maybe she could tell Charlie why Happy was being so distant. He didn't seem to be losing interest in her, just distant like there was something on his mind he was not saying. Charlie was starving, what was wrong with her, she just ate breakfast a few hours ago. Maybe she was going to start soon, maybe the stress was making her hungry. Either way, she grabbed a granola bar and headed upstairs to shower and get ready to head out for her visit with the biker queen herself.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"My mom will freak if she finds out" Azalia breathed into Kip's shoulder

"Z, babe relax, she won't until we are ready to tell her. Let's go somewhere get out of this garage" Kip grabbed Azalia's hand and led her into the club house

"Ugh, Kip what is that smell?"

Half Sack had to laugh at Azalia's face. She had her nose scrunched up and had let go of his hand to cover her mouth.

"Well, usually Sundays are bad days to show anyone new around, the smell from Friday and Saturday has not, uh, worn off yet." He offered her a teasing smile and she couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her lips.

"So, where's your room? Gemma told me all the sons have one?" Azalia raised her left eyebrow in question.

"Yeah well I'm working on that, but for now this should do." Kip flashed her a wicked grin, snatching a set of keys off the bar.

Azalia just shook her head and followed Kip down the hallway

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Gemma, I'm telling you something is up with Happy. Ever since Jesse's funeral, it's like he wants to say something but won't. It's making me a little fucking nervous, I mean what's he got to hide? It's not like he's going to tell me, he's the one who wacked Jesse and caused all that drama." Charlie gave a weak laugh but stopped when she saw Gemma's arched eyebrows

"Gemma, really? What the fuck kinda look is that?"

"Now honey there's something's about the club you gotta understand, there's something's about Happy you've gotta understand' Gemma started. "Wait, maybe I can show you rather than explain. But you've gotta keep quiet about this, I really don't wanna have to shoot you myself." Gemma strolled out the door and headed for the clubhouse, leaving Charlie gaping after her.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Oh Kip." Azalia whispered as she ran her fingers through his short sandy blonde hair.

"Just let go babe." Kip murmured as he continued kissing her neck. He ran his hands over her smooth flat stomach. She moaned and arched her back to meet his touch. His hand dipped lower and found the top of her jeans.

"Please." She begged breathlessly.

"Let me take my time." Kip responded, pulling her up enough to pull her shirt off. Then his mouth was on hers, his hands undoing her bra. She was fumbling with his zipper when it sounded like the whole place was caving in.

"What the fuck!" Gemma shouted. Kip jumped up as Azalia scrambled to find her shirt.

"Let me repeat myself… What the fuck!" Gemma stood in the doorway, hands on her hips.

"Uhhh sorry Gemma, please please don't tell my mom." Azalia pleaded.

"Prospect! Get your skinny ass out of here before Happy gets back, and you! You hussy, come on you have some explaining to do." Gemma finished with an icy stare and neither one of them hesitated in following the queens orders. Gemma turned on her heel as Azalia tried to follow hastily, attempting to resnap her bra and put her shirt on as she walked.

"Gemma please! Tell me you won't tell my mom."

"Well honey, no. I'm not gonna tell her, but it looks like you are." Azalia finally got her shirt pulled over her head just in time to look up and stop from running right into Charlie.

"Do I even want to know what you don't want Gemma to tell me that involves you being half naked?" Charlie began.

"Morning Miss Charlie." Half Sack mumbled sheepishly. Charlie looked between him and Azalia, the puzzle pieces clicking into place.

"OH FUCK NO LITTLE GIRL! Get your ass in that car now!" Charlie's face instantly red.

"Mom I can explain." Azalia began.

"The only thing you're gonna explain is why I put bars on your windows when the neighbors ask. Now fuckin' move!" Azalia scooted around her mom and shot out the door to the car.

"And you! You little wannabe." Charlie rounded on Kip. "She's only seventeen, how old are you?"

"Twenty three." He mumbled.

"Jesus fucking Christ. Gemma I'll call you later. I'm gonna go attempt to not murder my teenager." Charlie shot one last death stare at Kip before stalking out the door.

"Well that was pleasant." Gemma mused.

"Fuck." Kip said as he slumped against the wall.

Gemma lit up a cigarette and looked down at the prospect. "Idiot." Kip began banging his head against the wall.

_-_-_777_-_-_

"What's his problem?" Clay asked as he walked into the clubhouse and spotted the prospect banging his head on the bar.

"He got caught trying to nail Charlie's daughter." Jax barely had the answer out of his mouth before he and Tig were once again laughing so hard they couldn't breathe.

"Should we start planning your funeral now?" Clay asked Kip before joining in the laughter.

"Fuck you guys."

_-_-_777_-_-_

"Azalia, really? What are you thinking?" Charlie had calmed down and was sipping a cup of coffee, trying to figure out her obviously insane teenager's train of thought.

"You don't understand. You don't know the first thing about him." Azalia spat.

"I know you're seventeen and he's twenty three. How's that for a start?" Charlie retorted.

"So that's only six years, there were eight years between you and Jesse. There's fifteen years between you and Happy."

"Yeah and look how me and Jesse turned out. I'm just trying to keep you from making my mistakes." Charlie sighed.

"Well butt the hell out, I want to be with him."

"Young lady!" Charlie started, but she was cut off by Azalia's chair flying backwards as the teen bolted out the front door. _Fuck. Now what?_

Charlie sat and stared at her phone for a full twenty minutes before picking it up and calling Happy.

"_Yeah."_ He answered gruffly.

"Azalia is sleeping with the prospect, she's taken off and I don't know what to do?" Charlie blurted out.

"_I got this." _Was all she heard before the phone disconnected. Charlie put her head down, suddenly nauseous. Looking over at the counter, she noticed the calendar posted there, and the date highlight in pink, two weeks ago.

"Fuck." She whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth and sprinting to the bathroom.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy snapped the phone shut. He had just pulled into Teller-Morrow when his phone rang. What Charlie had told him had seriously pissed him off. Tig grabbed him just as he walked into the clubhouse.

"Relax man." The Charming SAA said, "Charlie and Gemma already put the fear of God in him."

"Yeah?" Happy said. "Well I'm about to teach him the real meaning of fear the Reaper." Happy stepped around Tig and headed for the bar where the prospect was sitting, still banging his head on the bar. He grabbed Half Sack and yanked him off the bar stool.

Throwing him onto the pool table Happy grabbed the wide-eyed prospect by the front of his shirt and pulled his knife out of its sheath.

"Let me make one thing very clear. You fuck with Azalia means you're fucking with Charlie. You fuck with Charlie, means you're fucking with my chances of getting laid here in Charming." Happy snarled. "My woman just called and told me that you're banging her seventeen year old and got caught. Now Azalia has taken off and if you don't find her, you'll go from half sack to no sack. Am I clear?" Half Sack nodded rapidly, eyes flicking to the knife Happy had pressed against his crotch. Happy released his hold on the kid. Half Sack scampered from the clubhouse.

Clay started chuckling. Jax looked at him.

"What's so funny?" He asked thinking Clay had finally gone off the deep end.

"Half Sack to No Sack that's fuckin' great." Clay said. Tig and Bobby burst out laughing. Chibs and Jax looked to Happy. The smile crossing the Nomad's face was too much and Jax and Chibs joined in the laughter.

Piney chuckled. "Fear the Reaper alright."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Kip flipped his phone open and found Azalia's number. He quickly sent,

_Babe where r u? Im worried_

It took less than a minute for his phone to light up with a reply.

_Park need you_

Kip snapped his phone shut and took off on the bike, his stomach tied up in a million knots. He kept asking himself _why? Why can't I quit this chick?_

Azalia sat on the grass by the jungle gym, tears streaming down her face. _ I love him. Why can't my mom just understand that? He loves me, I know he does. But is my mom right? Is this all a mistake?_

She heard Kip's soft approach before he sat down and wrapped his arm around her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Kip?" Azalia whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Where do you want this to go?" Azalia spun herself around to straddle his lap and look in his eyes.

"Babe, I dunno. We caused a lot of problems today. Happy and your mom damn near killed me."

"Happy?" Azalia asked, surprised.

"Yeah, threatened to finish the job the shrapnel started. He's real wound up in your mom. He's pissed you took off and worried her." Kip looked at Azalia solemnly, then leaned forward to plant a kiss on her forehead. Azalia closed her eyes and reached up to touch Kip's face.

"I love you Kip. I truly do. When I'm with you, I feel right, complete." She said. Kip sighed and pulled her into him.

"Z, I love you baby, I do. But if I don't get you home, Happy will take both our hides." Kip kissed her softly before she climbed in her mom's Escape and headed home. She drove in silence, thinking over his words. _Could he really mean it? Does he really love me?_

_-_-_777_-_-_

Half-Sack pulled into the lot just after dark. His heart was racing as he looked around. He saw a figure seated at the picnic table by the boxing ring. He heard a whistle as he was hanging his helmet over the handlebars.

"C'mere prospect." Tig's voice called through the dark. Half-Sack sighed _This is it. I'm dead. _He joined Tig at the table.

They sat there in silence a moment before Tig said, "She really worth it?" Half-Sack froze, surprised by the question. He thought a moment.

"Yeah she really is." He said.

"She's worth risking your chances of getting patched? Hell, your chances of seeing your twenty fourth birthday?" Tig asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah. Azalia's something special. Once you see her, like see who she is, she's hard to walk away from. I've tried. Been trying for over a month. Just ain't happening man." Half Sack said, rubbing a hand over his face.

Tig was silent a moment before blowing out a stream of smoke and saying, "When you find a gash like that, don't let her go and take damn good care of her son. They don't come around often." Half Sack stared at him in shock. Of all the things, he expected Tig to say, that was not one of them. Tig was always straightforward, beer, drugs, and pussy. This insightful side of him was something new and unexpected.

"You mean that?" He said, seeing Tig light up in the glow of his cigarette.

"Yeah, I do." He said shortly. Tig left Half-Sack sitting there as he headed back to the clubhouse.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. I've determined I need to have a goal. I'd LOVE to have one hundred reviews by Chapter Fifteen. Please pretty please. **

**Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for checking this over as my fantastically lovely beta, **_**JustMissWest and myself greatly appreciate it.**_

_**_-_-_777_-_-_**_

Charlie was surprised to be awoken in the middle of the night by Carson hollering and pointing out the window. Azalia had slept right through it but Charlie ended up spending the rest of the night praying to the porcelain god.

When she woke up the next morning, Carson had left a note saying he was at Dusty's house. Azalia was just gone. Charlie took her time getting ready.

She ran to the drug store and picked up a few things before stopping by Teller-Morrow. She headed over to Chibs to ask about the truck when she stopped at the sight of the tow that had just come in. The deer in the windshield made for a really pretty picture. Charlie stopped next to Chibs and hugged him. Turning as she heard Jax say,

"Some days you're the Beamer, some days you're the goddamn deer." Chibs looped an arm over Charlie's shoulder as he told Jax.

"Some yuppie creamed it. Up at the streams."

"He run into it or hit a tree while it was giving him head?" Charlie laughed. Half-Sack looked over the wreck with disgust.

"How the hell do you want me to get it out of there?" He asked. The look Jax and Chibs exchanged had Charlie slightly scared. Her fears were confirmed when Jax pulled a chainsaw out of the tow truck.

"Come on. Jesus, man." Half-Sack complained.

"Just pretend it's carve your own steak night at Sizzler." Jax told him.

"How could my daughter be interested in such a pussy?" Charlie told Chibs under her breath. Chibs burst out laughing as Half-Sack said,

"I don't eat meat, man." Charlie shook her head.

"Well he's never eating at my house." Jax grinned at her and said,

"Figure it out, grunt." Charlie nudged Chibs.

"Is there someone in the office I can ask about my truck?" Chibs nodded and sent her on her way. She headed into the office to see Lowell standing in there.

"Hello dear." She said, smiling brightly at him.

"Hi Charlie." He replied a little nervously.

"Just wanted to see where the truck was at." She said, lighting a cigarette. Lowell gave her a nervous smile as he sorted through a stack of paperwork.

"Uh… Should be done soon." He said, locating the paper he was looking for. She smiled at him.

"Just give me a ring when it's done." She walked out of the office, waving at Jax as she went.

"Hey Charlie!" He called jogging over to her.

"What's up doll?" She asked, opening her car door.

"I was wondering what kinda baby stuff you still had?" Jax said, leaning against her back door. Charlie thought a moment.

"Um… I have a bunch of baby clothes and maybe a bassinet. You're more than welcome to come by and look through the basement." She said, tossing her purse onto the passenger seat.

"That'd be great I'll stop by tonight." He said, giving her a brief hug. Charlie flashed him a smile before hopping in the car and heading out. She headed to the store and Caroline waved as she parked.

"Hey boss lady how have you been?" Caroline asked.

"Ugh got something wrong with me that's for sure." Charlie said, as nausea washed over her.

"Like what?"

"Oh just sick to my stomach." Charlie said, setting her purse behind the counter.

"You been banging that sexy man beast?" Caroline asked, idly straightening a stack of clothes.

"I know where you're going with this." Charlie said, "I hope that's not the case."

"Why would it be bad?"

"We've only been seeing each other like a month. He's been gone for three weeks. Hasn't called or anything." Charlie said, pulling a new outfit for the mannequin.

"Well you want more kids." Caroline said, pulling the mannequin out of the window and removing the outfit currently hanging on it.

"Yeah that won't send him running. _Babe, guess what you got me pregnant, but it's okay I wanted more kids."_ Charlie said, sarcastically.

"Well you'd better find out soon. Where are the kids?" Caroline said, just as Charlie's phone started ringing.

"Carson's staying with some friends camping for the week, and Azalia will be at Teller-Morrow with me tonight." Charlie pulled her phone out, surprised to see it was Gemma.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, mind coming out to St. Thomas?" _Gemma asked. Charlie could hear the click of the lighter as Gemma lit up.

"What's wrong?" Caroline gave Charlie a curious look before being distracted by a customer coming in.

"_Abel's here." _Charlie nearly dropped the phone.

"He's too early. You told me he wasn't due 'til August." Charlie could hear Gemma gearing up for a rant.

"_Stupid junkie bitch. She's been shooting up and I found her unconscious bleeding out. Abel's got problems."_ Charlie cut her off.

"I'll be there in fifteen." Charlie hung up. "I gotta go."She called to Caroline as she picked up her purse and headed out the door. Happy pulled up next to her car as she was leaving the store.

"Hey."

"Hey baby." She said, tossing her purse into the car.

"Gotta head to the clubhouse just figured I'd check on you." He said.

"I gotta head over to St. Thomas. But come over to the house when you're done. I'll be there in about two hours." She said, leaning into him. He looped an arm around her waist.

"There's a party tonight. You comin'?" He asked.

"You want me too?" He nodded. She gave him a quick kiss before backing up. She climbed into the Escape as he roared off. She sighed looking at her purse. _Should probably get this over with._

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy sat at the Redwood with all of SAMCRO.

"What's the Nords roster lookin' like these days?" Clay asked.

"Fifteen, sixteen guys. A few new kids breakin' in. Same extreme hate shit." Bobby answered. Happy shook his head.

Juice piped up. "Still got meth labs outside of Lodi, sellin' mostly to truckers, some of the Mexi gangs."

"You think they stepping up?" Jax said, lookin' at Clay.

"mm… Only two thing feel good in the joint, that's jerkin' off and thinkin' bout all the shit you're gonna do when you get out." Clay said, lighting up a stogie. "Darby's been in there for three years. I just wanna make sure that all his big shot dreams ended up in his cum-rag and not on his to do list." Chuckles came from around the table. "How's his guy doing?"

"Fractured cheek, broken nose," Juice said, "Left nut, swingin' solo." They all started laughing.

"Yes. It was beautiful!" Chibs sounding smacking the table. Jax was still solemn.

"Yeah he's lucky to be alive." Happy couldn't help but agree with Jax. Clay changed the subject, speaking directly to Happy.

"So, uh, any luck up north?"

"Tacoma can help with the Glocks, but there's no M-4's anywhere. Washington state, Oregon, Nevada, nobody's got stock man." Happy said.

"We'll have all the Mayan intel by the morning. We'll get our guns back." Jax said.

"Oh yeah we will. Treasury?" Clay said, turning to Bobby.

"All the bills are paid, bar's stocked. Uh, run fund is covered for the next two months. Tig's the only man who owes me dues." Bobby said, looking at the SAA.

"I'm a little short. Catch you next week." Tig said. Happy grinned.

"Guess those little Thai boys are getting expensive." He said, making all the guys laugh.

"Yeah they are." Tig retorted. "How bout I slit your eyes and have you suck my dick?" Ooohs erupted as Happy raised his hands, bringing on the challenge.

"All right, all right. Anything else?" Clay said, quieting the group.

"Yeah, I just want to say to Jackson, on a club level, the Sons of Anarchy the Redwood Original is here for you. Your father would be proud of the man you've become you know. Everytime I see you sitting at this table, I do a double take." Piney said. Opie grinned.

"Probly just the weed Pop." He cracked. The guys all grinned and chuckled.

"You're right, I bet it is; yeah. Anyway, whatever you need son, it's yours." Piney finished.

"Thank you Piney. Thanks boys." Jax said.

"Meeting closed." The gavel slammed down.

Happy clapped a hand against Jax's back as he passed him.

"Hey Hap." Jax said.

"What's up?"

"How's Charlie doin'?"Jax asked.

"Fine just saw her. Said she was headed to St. Thomas to see your kid." Happy replied stiffly. Jax chuckled.

"Figures Ma would call her." He said, heading to the bar. Happy followed and accepted the beer the Prospect was holding out with a dark stare. Bobby pulled a box that fucking reeked out from under the pool table and pulled a deer head out. Half-Sack quickly ran over and claimed it. Happy shook his head the Prospect was officially an idiot.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie walked into St. Thomas quickly finding the pediatric ward. She met Gemma just outside the pediatric wing.

"Hey Gem. How's the baby?" She asked, setting her purse down in a seat. She leaned down and hugged the biker queen. Gemma returned the hug sighing.

"Docs give him a twenty percent chance right now. He's got a heart condition and a tear in his stomach." She said, Charlie got up and peered through the window at the tiny being. She felt tears prick at her eyes as she remembered being there before.

"Don't listen to doctors on this one Gemma. Every day he'll get stronger and it'll feel like the weight is lifting every time you hear a bit of good news." Charlie said softly.

"You should tell Jax that." Gemma said, looking down. She reached into Charlie's purse and pulled out the box that had been haunting Charlie all day.

"You got something you need to tell me?" She asked. Charlie turned and her face went pale.

"Shit."

"Yeah shit. You pregnant?" Gemma asked bluntly. Charlie shrugged.

"I don't know. It's possible. I've been sick like crazy, I'm tired all the time. I'm starving. Just like with Azalia and Carson."

"You missed your period?" Gemma asked. Charlie gulped and nodded. Gemma thrust the box in Charlie's face. "Go now." Charlie took the box and headed to the bathroom. She opened the box and stared at the little stick. _Please come up negative. This is so not a good time for a baby. Azalia just graduated and Carson just lost his dad, anymore stress we'll all break. And Happy… Shit… He'll run for the fuckin' hills. Jesus… _ She quickly went and took the test throwing the box away, she carried the stick out to Gemma.

"Well?" The regal woman asked.

"One stripe for negative, two for positive. Still got two minutes." Charlie sat there staring at the little strip of white plastic for what felt like an eternity. Gemma checked her watch and looked down. The two women looked at the test with wide eyes. Their heads shot up and together they said,

"We gotta go."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Gemma had stopped at Charlie's and gotten her ready for the party. By the time they got there, Charlie was a nervous wreck, though she looked fantastic. She had stared blankly and done as she was told for the last hour while Gemma picked her outfit and did her hair and makeup. Azalia had come and gone, getting ready much quicker than her mother.

"He better be on his best behavior or my foot will end up in his ass." Charlie had hollered as Azalia had sprinted down the stairs. Gemma laughed and finished getting her ready. The women drove to Teller Morrow.

Charlie took a deep breath as she climbed out of the Cadillac. She surveyed the party, seeing her man in the ring.

"What's that about?" She asked Gemma.

"Oh, probably nothing important." Gemma said, Charlie walked towards the fight making her way through the crowd to be right next to the ring. She smiled as Happy landed a good shot to Tig's jaw. She loved the sight of Happy shirtless, all lean, defined muscle. She could see the muscles rolling under his skin as he landed a shot on Tig's side.

"Kick his ass baby!" She hollered. She saw the fierce smile cross his face. She caught Jax's eye from across the ring and he grinned at her. She shrugged turning her eyes back just in time to see Happy hit the side of the ring from a hit to the mouth. Her hands covered her mouth as she fought the urge to reach out for him. Bobby climbed into the ring and ended the fight. Charlie felt a bit of relief when Happy and Tig hugged and climbed out of the ring.

She stood there watching as Chibs handed Happy his cut and shirt. She looked around and saw that Gemma had left. _Guess I'd better hope Happy can give me a lift._ She headed for the clubhouse figuring she could get a soda or something. The prospect would make sure to find something for her, he'd been careful to kiss her ass for the past month. Being the mom of his girlfriend had its benefits, he'd been doing all the work on Azalia's truck and Charlie had laughed hysterically at some of the stories Jax had told about the kid's club torture. Bobby grabbed her as she walked in the door.

"Hey Elvis." She said, hugging him. The crow- eater next to him looked extremely pissed.

"Hey darlin'. How ya doin'?" He asked. The blonde was not pleased.

"Shut up bitch." Charlie snapped when the woman began whining. "Pretty good. You seen Happy?" Bobby nodded his head towards the bar. Charlie followed his gaze to see Happy on a stool talking to Chibs, a brunette rubbing herself up on him. Bobby saw her jaw tighten.

"Charlie. .." He said warningly.

"Thanks Bobby. I'll see you later." Charlie left him with a small wave.

"Shit."

Chibs saw Charlie headed their way before Happy did. He quickly turned and stared at the wall behind the bar turning only to look at Happy, who wasn't paying any attention to the sweet butt pawing at him. Happy headed whipped around when he heard a throat clear.

"Excuse me. You're in my seat." Charlie said, staring at the girl grinding on Happy.

"I was here first bitch." The girl said. Charlie smirked looking at Happy. He stared back at her blankly. She wanted him, she was gonna have to make it clear herself. Her eyes narrowed. She was clearly pissed off.

"I don't care who was here. That's my seat." Charlie said, plainly. Happy could see the muscles in her arms tensing up, her stance shifting.

"Fuck off." The girl said, turning away from her. That proved to be a mistake as Charlie darted forward, wrapping her hand in the bitch's hair. She used her grip to rip the girl off of Happy and slam her face in the bar. The room went silent a moment, everyone watching as the girl slumped to the ground, clutching her nose.

"Don't touch my man." Charlie said, stepping over to Happy. The girl looked up at Happy in disbelief as he tangled his fingers in Charlie's hair. Charlie smirked down at her. She climbed to her feet and quickly left as everyone went back to what they were doing.

"Who do you think you are?" Happy grinned at her tightening his grip. Charlie smirked.

"Your woman." She said. He crushed his lips to hers. She looped her arms around his neck.

"That was fuckin' hot." He growled, biting her neck. She laughed. Chibs grinned at her.

"Good work." He commented. "That'll keep the girls away." Happy's hand slid down to her ass, pulling her in tighter to him. Charlie pulled his head up and kissed him deeply, before she turned around and rested against him. She wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands over her stomach as she observed the room. Happy went back to his conversation with Chibs.

"What do you thinks gonna happen with the rebuild?" Happy asked.

"Clay will make it happen one way or another. He wants us up and running again fast. Can't afford to wait." Chibs replied. Charlie listened absently. She knew better than to interrupt. Happy nodded. Charlie wound an arm around his neck, lightly rocking her hips to the music. Chibs looked down at her and back to Happy.

"I'll leave you two alone." He said, picking his beer up and leaving the bar. Charlie ground her ass into his hips as the music changed.

"You trying to tell me something?" Happy rasped out, eyes watching her ass grind into him.

"Maybe." She said. He climbed off the school and reached a hand down her top, pulling her cigarettes out. He pulled one out and handed it to her. He lit it for her, she took it lightly. He kissed her intensely before leading her back to the dorms. Happy's was the same as the last time she'd been in there.

"Now what has gotten into you?" He asked, watching her pace the room.

"You!" She said, "You come into my life, blow my fuckin' mind, knock me up, and I catch you with some slut in your lap that I have to deal with!" She took a drag off her cigarette. Happy's mind had frozen on 'knock me up'. He stood stock still. Charlie sat down on the bed, watching him. Happy was not one to be surprised often, but Charlie had a way of mindfucking him like none other. "Wake up killer!" She snapped.

"Knocked up?" He managed to say.

"Yup. Congrats daddy." She said, dropping her cigarette in an empty beer bottle. Happy stared at her. _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. _

"How?"

"Birth control failed. It's how I had Carson." She said. He made his way to the bed and sat down hard. She scooted next to him and placed her hand over his. "Talk."

"I dunno what to say." She looked away.

"Look if you want out that's fine. I've been on my own a long time I can do it again." She said, rising to her feet. Happy pulled her down laying her down.

"Shut up. Let me think." He growled. He looked over her eyes resting on her stomach. "There's a kid in there?" He said, running a hand over her stomach. Charlie let out a soft chuckle.

"That's what the test said. I have a doctor's appointment Monday." Happy just traced his fingers over the lower half of her stomach. Charlie watched him carefully. He looked at her and kissed her. He moved and had her pressed against the pillows before she could blink. His tongue plundering her mouth removed all coherent thought from her mind until all she could do was feel his hands slide under her shirt. She let out a moan when his hand cupped her breast while the other pulled her shirt off. He kissed a trail down her neck, hands sliding around to undo her bra. She ran her hands under his cut sliding it down his arms until he growled and flung it off. His shirt joined the clothes on the floor. Charlie toed her heels off and wrapped her legs around his waist. He ground into her as she undid his belt. She toed his jeans off. His mouth sucked at her collarbone, causing her to whine softly. She reached between them and undid the buttons on her jean skirt. Happy slid them down her legs. She rolled them over so she straddled him. He smirked up at her as she gazed down at him like he was a tasty treat.

Charlie planted a soft kiss on his mouth before kissing and biting her way down his neck. Her nails let marks down his side as she bit down on his nipple. The groan she heard made her smile. Continuing on her path she rid him of his boxers. Taking his fully erect cock into her hand, she ran her thumb over the tip. His hips jumped a little at the touch and she looked up to see him watching her every movement. She smiled and ran the tip of her tongue along the underside of the hard throbbing member in her hand. Happy's hand fisted in her hair, pulling tightly as she sucked the tip into her mouth, hand moving opposite her head. Happy's other hand fisted in the sheets as his grip on her hair became almost painful. She continued sliding up and down as he hissed.

Happy had enough of her teasing and ripped her head away from him. He yanked her to the top of the bed not wasting any time in ripping the panties off her hips and burying his face in her pink pussy. Charlie's back arched as Happy's tongue flicked over the bundle of nerves hidden there.

"Oh fuck." She breathed out as her whole body tensed up. Happy slid a finger into her, curling it ever so slightly. Charlie's legs locked around his head. He added another finger and sped up the pace, sucking on her clit.

"Fuck fuck fuck… God Hap…" She moaned, sliding her hand over his head. He kept it up until her walls tightened around his fingers and her back arched up off the bed. Charlie went limp as Happy climbed over her. He slid his dick inside her, he could feel her tremble as she rested her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.

Charlie couldn't fell anything but Happy's long, thick cock inside her, his mouth on hers. Her body was still trembling from her climax but he was relentless. He pounded into her, pleasure building in her core. Within a minute, fireworks were exploding behind her eyes.

Happy had lost all sense of anything but her. She was so wet around him. He drove into harder and faster until she was screaming under him and he came, groaning. He rolled off of her onto his back. She sat up enough to cover up and curled into his side.

"You okay?" Happy asked her. She smiled sleepily up at him.

"Couldn't be better." She said. He watched as her eyes drifted shut as she fell asleep.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Azalia had hidden out at the bar while Kip was there. She could see the sweet butts eying him and she was not pleased. Kip managed to make her feel better by looking over and giving her a wink from time to time.

Charlie had lightened up and let them see each other some. The threat of Happy's temper hanging over Kip's head being enough to keep them from being stupid. Charlie was smart, she used the man as well as she could to keep her daughter in line.

Azalia watched as her mother knocked some crow eater's face into the bar for rubbing up on Happy. She laughed when the bitch scampered away in fear. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with on a bad day but today she appeared to be on her game.

Kip was relieved from the bar shortly after Charlie and Happy disappeared to the back of the clubhouse. She smiled at him as he came around carrying a beer in one hand and looping his arm over her shoulder. She leaned up and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his waist as he led her outside. They found a picnic table and Azalia curled up in his lap. It didn't take long for a sweet butt to approach the two.

"Hey sexy. How bout you ditch this one and come with a real woman." The brunette said, running a hand down his arm. Azalia looked at Kip, who was leaning away from the crow eater. Azalia ran her fingers through her hair and laughed.

"Bitch I suggest you back the fuck off." She said, giggling. She wrapped her arms around Kip's neck and kissed him. The brunette couldn't take a hint and sat down next to them. Azalia looked at Kip who was staring up at her, wide-eyed.

Azalia smirked down at him, reaching a high heeled foot out and digging the heel into the bitch's spine and shoved flinging her off the bench. "I said, back off my man." The sweet butt climbed to her feet throwing dirty looks at Azalia, who just smirked and kissed Kip lightly.

"You are something else, you know that?" He asked, chuckling lightly. "Nearly get my ass kicked, I'm still kissing up to your mom and Happy, and you're flinging bitches off me like you own my ass." Azalia smirked.

"I do own your ass." She giggled. Tig walked up and joined them at the table.

"How are you two lovebirds doin' tonight?" He asked, Azalia stared at him, a little surprised.

"Fine. Z here's keeping me pretty occupied." Half-Sack said, sliding a hand up the back of her shirt. Tig watched as she smirked and said laughingly, "Gotta keep all the sluts off my man." Half-Sack pulled her down for a kiss. Tig just shook his head.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie awoke about an hour later to find Happy missing. She sat up in the bed and looked around, rubbing her eyes, she blinked, trying to focus her eyes. Happy was not in the attached bathroom or in the main room. She climbed out of the bed and slowly began getting dressed. She used the bathroom to fix her hair and wipe off the makeup smeared around her eyes. There was a knock at the door. She called from the bathroom for whoever it was to 'Come in.'

Poking her head out the door, she saw Chibs sitting down on the edge of the bed. He looked concerned about something.

"What's wrong?" She asked, raking her fingers through her hair in another attempt to tame the unruly curls. Chibs just patted the spot next to him. Charlie padded barefoot to sit next to him.

"What did you do to Hap, that's got him drinking his way through his second bottle of Jack?" Chibs asked plainly. Charlie shook her head.

"I fuckin' knew this would happen." She said. "I knew I would scare him off. Fuck!" Chibs watched her closely. Something was going on that she wasn't sharing. Charlie yanked her knee high stiletto boots on and grabbed her phone and cigarettes. She lit one up taking one drag before gagging and running to the bathroom. Chibs darted in there and held her hair back.

"Ugh… Should've known that was gonna happen. Goddamn." She rasped out between heaves. Chibs looked her over.

"Shit… No… Not possible." He said, mind frantically working to put the pieces together.

"Shit… Yes… Totally possible." Charlie replied, wiping her mouth as she stood and moved to the sink. Chibs sat back on the edge of the bath.

"Well that explains a lot."

"Yeah just what I need." She said, bitterly.

"Shouldn't this be a good thing?" He asked blankly.

"Yeah it's fantastic. I've got a seventeen year old who's dating a twenty three year old and throws a temper tantrum if I tell her she can't see him so I have to settle for scaring the hell out of him for another three weeks 'til she turns eighteen. A preteen who's barely talked to me since his dad kicked it and now I'm fuckin' pregnant and the father is out there drinking himself into a coma because he can't bear the thought of having a kid with me. Yeah everything is perfect!" Charlie had worked herself into hysterics. Chibs was a little shocked but realized it was time to get her home.

He wiped her face and made her splash some water on it, before leading her through the clubhouse. Charlie saw Happy at the bar tossing back another shot as she passed. He turned just in time to look her in the eye as she passed. Her face hardened as she paused and stared into his now bleary eyes. Chibs nudged her and she continued outside. She made her way to his bike and climbed on accepting his helmet. He quickly started the bike and took off.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Azalia saw her mother being led out of the clubhouse, the look on her face making it very clear something had happened and it wasn't good. She quickly stood up pulling Kip to his feet.

"Take me home now." She said, shortly watching as Charlie took off with Chibs.

"Babe what?" Kip asked.

"Now! Something's wrong with my mom." She snapped pulling him towards the bikes. She looked back just in time to see Happy stumble out of the clubhouse, clearly intoxicated. She shot him a glare as Half-Sack started the bike and took off.

Azalia sprinted to the door as soon as the bike stopped in the drive. She waved for him to leave without breaking stride. She ran straight to her mother's room where Chibs was holding her hair back over the toilet.

"What's going on?" She asked, trying to catch her breath. Short distances, so not her thing.

"She tried to smoke again." Chibs asked, readjusting his hold.

"Shit, she's pregnant?" Azalia asked. Chibs stared at her.

"How the fuck did you know that?" He asked, Charlie raised a finger at him and shook it.

"Language." Azalia chuckled. "And I know because when she was pregnant with Carson if she so much as smelled cigarettes it was puke city. I take it Happy didn't take it well?" Chibs shook his head.

"He left her in his dorm room and was halfway through his second bottle of Jack by the time she woke up."

"Fuckin' prick." Charlie said, her voice raspy from the stomach acid. Azalia walked over and moved Chibs, taking his place as designated hair holder. He observed a moment.

"Could you get some ginger ale out of the fridge?" She asked. "That's all I need then you can head back to the party." Chibs nodded heading downstairs. Azalia reached over and grabbed a hair tie off the sink, pulling Charlie's hair back into a tight bun. Charlie sat back, grabbing toilet paper to wipe her mouth.

"He went on a binge when he found out, huh?" The teen asked, sitting on the edge of the bath. Charlie nodded.

"One minute everything was fine… better than fine." She said, with a slight smirk.

"Yuck!" Azalia said, making a face. Charlie chuckled.

"I fell asleep and I wake up and he's gone and Chibs came in and told me he's trying to drink himself into a coma. Fuck. Why can't just one thing go right?" She said, a frown crossing her features. Azalia shook her head.

"I'd say a couple things have gone right." She said. "You got an ass ton of money from He-Who-Shall-Not- Be-Named-Except-In-Front-Of-Carson, you're having a baby, you love babies. Carson is doing a thousand times better." Charlie scoffed.

"He hasn't talked to me in three weeks." She said, rubbing a hand over her stomach. Chibs came into the bathroom and handed her the glass. "Thanks Chibsy."

"Happy'll come around love." He said, planting a kiss on the top of her head. He waved to Azalia as he headed out. Azalia scooted to the floor and wrapped her arm around her mother. Charlie smiled at her daughter.

"Yuck. Brush your teeth." Azalia giggled. Charlie laughed and hauled herself to her feet. Azalia went into the other room flipping the T.V. on. "I vote we watch bad B movies 'til we pass out." Charlie smiled at her daughter.

"Sounds perfect."


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks to everyone for the lovely support. Been feeling a bit disheartened and this chapter was so difficult to write it was hard. So thanks everyone. Twenty Four reviews away from one hundred. **

**Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for betaing this for me.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

Happy watched Charlie sleep for a few minutes before the gravity of the situation hit him straight in the face. He was going to be a dad. There was a tiny person that he helped create growing in Charlie. He couldn't comprehend it.

Happy watched as Charlie curled into a ball, hands under her head, curls surrounding her delicate face. This beautiful woman was gonna make him a dad… and he wasn't ready for it. Shit shit shit shit. Happy climbed out of bed being careful not to disturb Charlie. He went into the bathroom and splashed water on his face. He stayed bent over the sink, head resting on his hands as he bored holes into the floor, mind running a thousand miles an hour.

What kind of dad would he be? He was a biker who was never around for more than a couple weeks at the time. He rode hard, partied harder, fought even harder, FUCK what the fuck was he going to do with a baby.

Happy stood bolt upright and went and got dressed. He needed a drink, a strong one.

He didn't speak to anyone as he entered the main room. The party was still in full swing but he ignored the chaos around him to find a bottle of Jack Daniels and started drinking it straight from the bottle. He could feel stares on his back as he sat himself down on a stool and got lost in his thoughts.

How was he going to afford a kid? What was going to happen if he landed in lock up? Fuck, how would Charlie handle it if he ended up in prison? God, that would be a cluster-fuck. She'd end up beating the hell out of him when he got out… well, try to. He rubbed his face as he finished off the bottle. He picked up another as Chibs slid into the stool next to him.

"Got a problem?" He asked simply, watching the brooding killer as he took yet another pull off the bottle. Happy didn't say anything just shot a hard glare at the Scotsman. Chibs took a drink of his beer as he met the stare, dead on. The stare down lasted a minute or two before Chibs chuckled and slid off the stool, clapping Happy on the back as he passed heading for the dorms.

Happy sat there a while longer. A flash of red went passed and he turned to see Chibs leading Charlie out of the back. She looked him dead in the eye and he could see her eyes narrow, her lips tighten, her whole body stiffen as she glared at him. Chibs led her out the door as Happy sucked down the rest of the bottle. He made to stand up but the head rush from the movement almost knocked him on his ass. He got himself to his feet and stumbled out the door to see Azalia shoot him a death glare and the taillights of Chibs' bike as he took off with Charlie.

Tig caught up with him as Happy fell onto a picnic table. "Hap?"

"I gotta see Charlie." Happy mumbled drunkenly. Tig just looked to where Charlie had just been and then back to the killer.

"What happened?" He asked cautiously. Happy started digging through his pockets.

"I gotta go to my Old Lady." Happy said, still stuck on the one track. Tig whistled.

"Okay well, you should go get some sleep and go see her in the morning." He said. Happy stood up swaying pulling his keys out of his pocket. Tig caught him as he overbalanced, smoothly removing the keys from Happy's hands and tucking them away before the very intoxicated nomad realized they were gone.

"Nope tonight now. Gotta tell her." Happy said, digging in his pockets as he pulled away, headed for his bike. Tig followed.

"Tell her what?" He asked.

"The truth." Happy slurred still searching his pockets for keys that weren't there. Tig shook his head.

"Okay okay. I'll take you. We'll take one of the vans." He said, pulling Happy towards one of the black vans they kept for club business. He got Happy into the passenger seat and went to get the keys from the office.

"Tig!" Bobby's voice called. He turned to see the Elvis impersonator approaching.

"Yeah?"

"What's up with Happy?" Bobby asked, watching Tig pull the keys of the of the drawer.

"Something with Charlie. He just keeps saying 'Gotta see Charlie' over and over." Tig said, heading out the door.

"Better grant his wish then." Bobby chuckled. "Woman's got him all sorts of twisted." Tig nodded and got to the van starting it up and taking off. Happy sat there mumbling to himself the whole way to Charlie's house. Tig saw Half-Sack heading back to the clubhouse as they drove. He raised a hand and Half-Sack shrugged as he passed. He didn't know what was going on either. Tig pulled into the driveway and Happy fell against the door as he opened it. He fell out of the van onto the ground as Tig came around the front end to help him. Happy pushed him off and climbed unsteadily to his feet. Tig watched as he stumbled into the house. Tig could see Chibs bike was still here.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie and Azalia had just gotten settled in the bed with some creature feature on SciFi playing on the television. Chibs was still downstairs probably getting something to drink before he left. The sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway caught their attention and Azalia climbed out of bed to go look, forcing her mother to stay put. Charlie stayed in the center of the bed. Azalia crept down the stairs waiting to see who was coming in. She was surprised to see Happy fling the door open and fall into the house. She giggled and left him laying there, running up the stairs to tell her mother who it was. Charlie hadn't left the bed though the television was muted and Azalia knew that she'd been listening to every creak and step in the house.

"It's Happy." Azalia laughed. "He face planted as soon as he got the door open." Charlie shook her head, pulling the covers off her legs. Azalia climbed into the bed, curling up into her mother and forcing her to stay there. Charlie gave her daughter a soft smile as she un-muted the T.V. and settled into watch more giant ants kill people.

Tig appeared in the doorway. "Hey me and Chibs got him to the couch. Can you handle him when he wakes up?"

"Yeah we're fine. Go back to the party, Tigger. Have a good time." Charlie said, smiling at him. "Oh and do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Dig in my purse and take my smokes with you." She said. Azalia laughed.

"Please. I don't want to deal with her puking anymore." The teen laughed, squealing as her mother playfully shoved her.

"Where's it at?" Tig asked, curious as to why she was getting rid of them.

"Table right inside the front door. Thanks babe." Tig nodded and waved as he headed back downstairs and did as asked.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and the sun shining directly in his eyes. He hid his face in the pillow he didn't remember passing out on.

"Good morning sunshine." A chipper voice grated through his pounding head.

"Go way…" He grumbled. He felt the couch dip down as the owner of the voice sat next to him.

"Here." The voice which he now recognized as belonging to Charlie said. He rolled over, keeping a careful hand over his eyes to block the sun. His brain recognized the bottle of water and two aspirin in her hands. She smiled softly as he swiftly tossed the pills down.

"How'd I get here?" He asked, rubbing a hand over his face, praying the aspirin would kick in soon.

"Ask Tig. All I know is Chibs brought me home after I woke up and you were half way into a Jack induced coma." She said, beginning to stand. Happy caught her wrist. She pulled it out of his hands.

"Breakfast's in the kitchen if your stomach can handle it." She left the living room. Happy groaned.

"Fuck I'm in trouble."

Charlie pulled the toast out of the toaster and added it to the plate of pancakes and sausage. Azalia sat at the kitchen table, sipping at the coffee her mother had made for her. She grinned as Happy walked into the room, wincing at the light flooding in through the sliding glass doors. Charlie set the plate at the table just before Happy sat down. She went back and fixed herself a plate, taking twice as long as necessary to fix the toast.

She picked up her coffee and sat down at the table. She ate only toast, her stomach was still a little sensitive from the night before. Azalia sat there with a smirk crossing her face as she watched Happy. Azalia had pissed her mother off before. She was a professional at it. But there had only been one time that she had pissed Charlie off to the point of being ignored and that was when she had snuck a boy over at two in the morning and was caught in a very compromising position with him. Happy was in deep shit.

"So how's your head?" The teen asked, taking a bite of pancake. Happy shot her a glare as his stomach protested the smell of sausage. Charlie chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee. Happy turned his glare to her. It was then he noticed the mug and how true it was. _Bitchy until Caffeinated DO NOT DISTURB. _Happy had a sinking feeling this was going to be a bad morning.

"Play nice with my daughter Happy. I won't tell you again." Charlie said, matching his glare. Happy turned his face back to his plate and picked up a slice of toast. The aspirin had finally kicked in and his head was feeling a fraction better. Azalia finished her food and took her plate to the sink.

"Mom, Kip's gonna take me to Teller Morrow. He says he's gonna finish the truck today." The teenager leaned back against the counter observing. She could cut the tension with a knife.

"Don't be gone late tonight. Your brother will be back on Monday and I want the house spotless so it's easier to keep up with." Charlie replied. Happy had eaten all the toast on his plate and was picking at the pancake. "Oh by the way, your phone is in my purse." Azalia nearly spit her coffee out.

"You replaced it?" She asked, excitement flooding her voice. Charlie nodded. Azalia had barely set the coffee on the counter before she sprinted out of the kitchen. The excited squeals that came from the hallway showed how thrilled Azalia was and did nothing to help Happy's headache.

"So why the hell'd you come here last night?" Charlie asked bluntly. Happy grunted. "Answer me." Happy raised an eyebrow at her.

"We need to talk." He said, pushing his plate away.

"Oh no we don't. You made it very clear how you felt last night, when you left me alone and drank two fuckin' bottles of Jack. You don't want this kid." Charlie said, picking the plates up and taking them to the sink.

"The fuck you say!" Happy flew up from the table. He was behind her before she could open her mouth.

"I said, we don't need to talk." Charlie stated, turning and meeting his eyes. Happy growled.

"You drop this fuckin' bomb on my head and because I needed a drink to process it you're cutting me out. Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I think that this kid is mine, I think that I don't need you, and I think that you'd better get the fuck out of my face." Charlie said, pushing him away. Happy was not pleased. "And if you call two full bottles of Jack Daniels a drink you need help." Charlie stepped away from him, going and getting her coffee. Happy pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket. Lighting one up, he said,

"I'm gonna be a dad. I needed to think about that." Charlie shook her head.

"Whatever Hap. I'll drop you back at Teller-Morrow when I go run errands." She said, leaving the room. Happy shook his head. She was fucking pissed at him.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Azalia walked into the lot at Teller-Morrow. There weren't a lot of people moving around. She could see a couple people asleep on picnic tables and there were three mechanics working in the garage. She entered the club house to see random naked people all over and several of the Sons lying on various surfaces. Her nose wrinkled at the smell that filled the club house. She stood there a moment before Kip appeared out of the kitchen. He laughed at the look of disgust on her face.

"Hey baby." He said, heading over to her. She accepted his kiss gratefully.

"Hey." She said. "Who's supposed to clean this up?"

"I am." He said, sheepishly.

"The fun part of being a prospect." She said lightly. She picked up a beer bottle. "Let's get started."

"Z, you don't have to help." He said, taking the bottle away from her.

"I want my truck fixed and I want to spend time with you. If you spend all day cleaning this place up then there won't be time for that so I'm helping." Azalia said, turning away from him and starting to clear off a table. Kip stared after her, amazed.

Azalia could clean. Her mother had drilled it into her that no one likes a mess so keep it clean and you'll make a good impression and have a place to be proud of. Kip couldn't believe how efficiently she worked. Azalia had collected every beer bottle, picked up all the trash, and wiped the tables she could get to down before Kip had even finished cleaning the bar off. She turned and smiled at him.

"Well that's a start." She jumped when Juice sat up from the pool table, stark naked.

"What are you doing?" He mumbled sleepily. Azalia rolled her eyes, taking the bag of trash to the bar.

"Cleaning up after you." She said.

"Why?" Juice asked, locating his jeans and pulling them on.

"One I want my truck fixed, and two, I want to actually spend some time with him sometime this century, and three this place is disgusting. What did you expect me to do?" She said, leaning over the bar and giving Kip a quick kiss. Juice pushed the sweet butt off the pool table.

"Get lost." The blonde whined as she hunted her clothes down. She quickly vanished out the doors as Juice finished getting dressed and joined Azalia and Kip at the bar.

"What are you doing here this early anyway?" Kip asked, tying off the garbage sack she'd brought him.

"Mom and Happy are having it out, didn't feel like sticking around to watch him get his ass chewed or to hear the two of them screwing their rage away." She said, taking the cleaning rag to the bar.

"Why are they so pissed off?" Kip asked.

"Happy knocked mom up and then ditched her last night to drink because of it." Juice fell off the bar stool, Kip froze staring at her. Azalia leaned over the bar and looked at Juice. "You might want to get off the floor, we haven't cleaned that yet."

"Your mom's pregnant?" Kip asked.

"Happy's gonna be a dad?" Juice asked. Azalia laughed.

"You guys are surprised?" She said, continuing her cleaning raid on the bar. They just nodded at her.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie had dropped Happy off just like she'd said she would. She left him at the garage and ran her errands. When she got home, she pulled a photo off the wall and sat at the kitchen table with it.

Staring at it, she began to cry. She ran her fingers over the two faces in it.

"I miss you so much. I really wish you were here right now. I need advice. Badly." She said, a tear landing on the glass. "Everything is going crazy. Azalia is dating a twenty three year old biker and I can't fight her on it anymore. I can't handle the crazy teenager in her. She's going to club parties with him and I don't like it but I don't know what to do to stop her. Her birthday is in three weeks, she'll be eighteen. She's so beautiful and I want so much more for her than to be stuck here with a biker but I can't tell her that because I'm pregnant with a different one's baby." She sighed.

"Carson is still barely speaking to me. I don't know how to help him with this. He's not like I was as a kid. This is the first trauma he's ever dealt with. He's shutting down." Charlie sobbed. "And Happy and me. God that is a cluster-fuck. I'm so mad at him. He couldn't just say I'm not ready to be a dad, that I could've handled but no he had to act like he was okay with it and then when I wasn't looking went and had a freaking meltdown about it. He passed out in my front door way, he was so drunk. He's such a prick but he can be so kind to me. Well until now. My life is a fuckin' disaster! I need you guys right now, so bad."

"Will I do?" Jax's voice startled Charlie. She turned around and saw him standing in the entrance to the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, wiping frantically at her face. He went and joined her at the table. Sliding the frame over, he looked over the picture.

"You know you look just like her." He said, tapping the glass. Charlie smiled.

"My mom was the best. I wouldn't have made it through anything without her." She said. Jax smiled at her.

"You know I came over here to look for baby stuff but I'm guessing you need to talk." He said, watching her closely. She was always one of the prettiest girls at Charming High and age hadn't changed that. Charlie had never let anyone in while in high school. She was always guarded. It wasn't until she needed a ride to the hospital and caught him out in the parking lot during third period that he discovered why. Charlie was a mom to a four year old. She hadn't told anyone about it, she didn't want to be the freak of the school. Jax had taken her to St. Thomas and followed her all the way to Azalia, even when she'd told him not to. He'd followed her into a room to see the tiniest little blonde laying in the bed.

"Momma momma!" This little girl had cried, reaching for Charlie as she walked into the room. Charlie had dropped her bag and climbed into bed with the little girl. "Hush now momma's here, momma's here baby girl." She had stared at Jax, her eyes daring him to say something stupid but at the same time begging him not to say anything to anyone about this. Jax had sat in the hospital room with them and Charlie's parents for almost an hour.

To this day no one knew _exactly_ what had been said in that room, but no one in the high school found out until the day Charlie graduated when Azalia had sprinted to the stage yelling "Momma Momma you did it!" and Charlie had picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

Charlie waved her hand in front of Jax's face. "Hello anyone in there." She said, still sniffling a little. Jax looked at her.

"Sorry just remembering the day I found out about Z." He said, "Your dad scared the living hell out of me that day." Charlie chuckled.

"He had a habit of doing that. He always blamed himself for me and became so overprotective. I swear he picked Charming off the map then called the police station and asked about the crime rate before we moved here." Jax shook his head.

"You know, every parent is different. Every person handles it a different way. I mean look at my family."

"Your family is like something out of a Chuck Palahniuk novel." She said with a laugh. Jax shook his head.

"No shit. Charlie, Azalia and Carson are happy and healthy. Look at my son, he's in an incubator 'cause his junkie mother did crank while she was pregnant and nearly killed him." He said. "Yeah Azalia's dating the prospect and coming to parties but do you think any of the guys down there are gonna let a single thing happen to her? No one wants to set you off for one and two, the guys have had the prospect on edge about it since the whole thing came out. He's been working twice as hard to win everyone over." Charlie sighed.

"I know, but she's my baby. I don't want to be a horrible mom. I mean what do people this of me, letting my seventeen year old go to a fuckin' biker party?"

"What do people think of me? Marrying a junkie who almost killed my kid? He may still die." He countered. Charlie shook her head.

"Jax one thing I can tell you from experience. Every day that Abel gets stronger, the doctors have good news, one of those ten pound weights on your shoulders will lift." She said, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.

"How can you be sure?" He asked.

"Because." She said, smiling softly at him. "Z was twelve weeks early." Jax stared at her, she'd never told him this before.

"Why? How?" He asked.

"I was thirteen years old, four foot ten and eighty five pounds soaking wet when I got pregnant. My body couldn't handle the pregnancy past that point." Charlie said, fingers twitching. Jax went to get his smokes out and hand one to her but she stopped him.

"I can't smoke." She said, he looked at her curiously. "I'm pregnant, and even though it's unhealthy to quit cold turkey, the smoke makes me vomit. Not pleasant." She said.

"So twelve weeks early?" He asked.

"I was so tiny that once I hit twenty eight weeks, my body said, I can't do this anymore." She said. "They could only stop the labor for a day at a time. They flooded me with steroids in an attempt to speed her development. Azalia was born at two pounds, seven ounces. Her lungs were still underdeveloped so they kept her for four months in the NICU." Jax was still, processing everything she had just told him.

"Jesus. You really have been through hell." He finally said. Charlie chewed the inside of her cheek. "Wait…. You're pregnant now?" He said. Charlie nodded.

"Jesus Christ. We need to get your head sorted out fast." Jax said, shaking his head. Charlie smacked him on the arm.

"Look who's talking jerk." She said.

"Where should we start?" He asked.

"Ha! Take your pick."

"Carson." He said. Charlie's eyes dropped to the table.

"He won't talk to me about it. He lost his dad, granted the jackass hadn't acted like one in years but still. He's upset about it but he won't say anything." She said, picking at a spot the cleaner hadn't gotten. Jax thought about that a moment.

"Well he's a boy. It's not cool to cry or talk about your feeling like that." He said.

"But I'm his mother."

"And he's a preteen boy who doesn't want to look like a pussy and cry to his mommy. He needs to talk to someone but it can't be you." Jax told her.

"You volunteering?" She asked.

"Well I dunno about that."

"Jax?"

"What?"

"Be honest with me?" She asked timidly.

"About?"

"Do you know what happened to Jesse?" Jax froze. He knew. Wolf in Tacoma had called and filled them in when they found out that Charlie was from Charming. "Jax?"

"What do you mean?" He evaded.

"I mean, Happy disappears for a week, calls me randomly asking about Jesse and then poof! He's dead. I'm not stupid Jax. There's something more." She pushed, not even sure if she wanted to know the answer. Jax sighed and said nothing. "I knew it. It was Happy."

"Happy is a lot of things Charlie. But one thing we all count on is he gets the job done. He's protective of the club. What do you think the happy faces are for?" Jax asked bluntly. Charlie thought about it.

"Jesus." She went and got something to drink.

"Happy cares about you Charlie. In a weird twisted Happy way, he cares a lot. Before you women were playthings, use 'em and lose 'em, but he saw you that day at Teller-Morrow and that was it. He hasn't touched a single crow eater in Charming." Jax said, watching her reaction.

"He hasn't?" She asked, in a very small voice. Jax shook his head slowly. A small smile crossed her face.

"You need to sit down and talk to him." He said.

"I know. I'm just so fucking mad at him right now. Everything's so messed up." She said, sitting back at the table next to Jax.

"I know darlin'. I know."

_-_-_777_-_-_

Happy left Charming that night. Charlie would get texts once a day asking how she was. She always reply back, _Good. When will you be back? _He never answered those. Charlie would just sigh and continue what she was doing. Carson had come back and was still very quiet. Four days of this went by.

"Carson?" Charlie peeked her head into his room.

"Yeah mom?"

"Do you want to go to the carnival with me?" She asked. "Z's going to. We can go on some rides, eat some unhealthy food, take pictures in the photo booth?"

"Sounds fine to me." Carson said, turning back to the motorcycle magazine he'd bought. Charlie sighed. The carnival was in town that weekend and Azalia had agreed to make it a family trip, no prospects allowed.

"Well we're leaving soon. I'll come get you when it's time to go."

"Mom?" Azalia called from the kitchen.

"Coming." Charlie called as she headed down the stairs.

"What time are we leaving?" Azalia asked.

"Ooh, about half an hour. Carson's not ready yet." Charlie said. She went and grabbed her wallet, putting everything necessary in her pockets was easier than carrying around her purse. Money in her left front pocket. Driver's license in the back. Phone in her bra. Keys would be carried in the right front pocket.

"Carson. We're leaving in ten minutes baby." Charlie called up the stairs.

"I'm coming." Carson said, appearing at the top of the staircase. Charlie smiled at her son.

"Cheer up. Tonight will be fun."

"Sure." Carson replied, clearly not impressed with his mom's chirpy attitude. Charlie sighed. She looped an arm over his shoulder. He looked at her.

"You look pretty today mom." He said. Charlie stared at him. This was the first compliment she'd gotten in a month. Carson was always the sweet one who told her she looked pretty. She looked down at herself. The tight mid thigh length jean skirt and tank top with a loose sheer purple top over it, finished off with gladiator sandals was one of Charlie's new outfits.

"Well thank you baby. You ready to go?" She asked. Carson nodded. "Well get your sister and head out."

It didn't take them long to get to the carnival. Gemma met Charlie at the entrance and dragged her and the kids over to all the guys. Carson got a huge grin on his face at the sight of the bikers. Charlie hugged him before letting him go to the guys and ask his questions. She got a couple surprised looks about the questions he was asking, apparently the motorcycle magazines were very informative or he'd been doing a lot of research. Azalia stuck by Gemma and Charlie.

"How are you doing?" Gemma asked.

"Oh good. Doctors say I'm about five weeks. All the blood works good, so on. All in all healthy as a horse." Charlie said.

"Okay. How are you doing?" Gemma reiterated. Charlie sighed.

"Getting better. Happy texts every day. Carson actually complimented me today. So that's a good sign."

"Good. Now let's go." Gemma dragged her over to the group. Azalia followed the two women. Jax favored Charlie with a bright smile as she approached. She reached over and hugged him.

"How ya doin' midget?" He asked.

"Everything's better." She replied, smiling up at him.

"So?" Jax directed the question towards Carson. "What are you riding first?" Carson grinned. The rest of the afternoon was spent riding rides. Charlie bought the three of them funnel cakes, they played carnival games, Bobby won Carson a stuffed tiger. The entire day was a blast.

Which was why Charlie was very concerned when she got a phone call at two in the morning.

"Hello?"

"_Charlie? It's David Hale."_

"Shit. Did Azalia sneak out and get in trouble?" Charlie asked sleepily.

"_I need you to come down to St. Thomas."_

"Why?"

"_There's someone you need to talk to."_ Charlie climbed out of bed.

"Don't tell me, David. Young?"

"_Young enough. You're the best person to talk to her."_

"I'll be there in half an hour."

"_Thanks Charlie."_

"Yeah." Charlie hung up and pulled a better shirt over the tank top she was wearing. She had loose sweat pants on and didn't feel like changing those. She headed downstairs to the hall closet and pulled a shoe box out of the closet. Her hand shook as she ran her fingers over the lid. Steeling herself, she walked back upstairs, pulling a couple pictures off the wall as she went. She went into Azalia's room and nudged her daughter.

"Z, I gotta go out to the hospital. I'll be back in a bit." The teenager mumbled something and Charlie left the room. Charlie hated calls like this. She'd gotten two in the past and they were not easy to deal with. Charlie headed out to St. Thomas.

Hale met her in the parking lot. Charlie gave him a tight smile.

"Who is she?" She asked, grabbing the shoebox and the framed pictures off the passenger seat.

"Tristan Oswald."

"Fuckin' serious?" Charlie exclaimed. Hale nodded. She sighed.

"Well let's go." She said, striding off towards the entrance. She breezed into the hospital, Hale right on her heels, guiding her towards Tristan's room. Charlie could see the officer stationed outside the door. She assumed Tristan's parents were in there with her. She brushed past the officer and entered the hospital room. The parents quickly stood and made to approach her.

"Hello. I'm Charlie Ryzdale." She said. The man approached her.

"Eliot Oswald. This is my wife Karen. Can I ask why you're here?" He said, shaking her extended hand.

"I need to talk to Tristan." Charlie said, simply.

"Well as you can see now is really not a good time." Karen snapped. Charlie sighed.

"Ma'am I understand exactly what kind of time it is. Just please let me talk to Tristan."

"No absolutely not." Karen said. Charlie turned to Eliot.

"You just need to trust me. She doesn't have to talk. Just listen." Charlie said. Eliot looked at his wife who was adamantly shaking her head.

"I don't know about this." Eliot said. "I don't think you can help." Charlie looked at Tristan, who looked back at her. She sighed and set the shoebox down.

"Look at her." She said, pointing to Tristan.

"We've seen her." Karen snapped.

"No you haven't. You have seen how battered she looks, how quiet she is. I've seen the inside of her head. She's scared, confused, hurt, mad, and above all she wants someone to make it make sense." Charlie snapped. She was tired, it was two in the morning, and while she got the stress they were under, she understood how Tristan was even more and the last thing that girl needed was her parents causing trouble.

Eliot looked her straight in the face, Charlie didn't know what it was whether it was the look in her eyes or her words, but something in his face changed and he took his wife by the arm and led her out in the room. Charlie watched them leave. She turned to Tristan who was watching her.

"What do you want with me?" The girl looked tiny in the hospital bed. Charlie gave her a small smile.

"To talk. I have a story to tell you." Charlie said. She grabbed her box and sat herself crossed legged on the foot of the bed. She opened up the box and began pulling pictures and trinkets out.

"Now. Almost nineteen years ago…."


	15. Chapter 15

**Soooo I'm back. I know it's been well two years but life got in the way. Started college again and just got overwhelmed. But enjoy everyone.**

**_-_-_777_-_-_**

"Nineteen years ago. I was twelve and I lived in Iowa." Charlie stated. Tristan scooted herself up the bed enough to be sitting. Charlie pulled a picture out of the box and handed it to Tristan.

"That's me, my dad, and his best friend, Chad." Charlie pointed over the top of the picture. Tristan still looked lost as to why this lady was telling all this. "The night after this picture was taken, my dad's best friend, my surrogate uncle, molested me four times." Charlie paused. Tristan stared at the picture, taking in the man that Charlie was pointing too. The man was not as tall as Charlie's dad, blonde hair, brown eyes, not a bad looking man.

"I remember begging him to stop. Telling him I didn't want to, but he didn't listen. He took everything from me that night." Charlie said, her voice shaking. "He slapped me in the face, punched me in the ribs, anything to keep me still he did. After the first time, I hurt to bad to fight anymore." Charlie's eyes unfocused as memory flashes ran through her mind.

"_**Uncle Chad? What are you doing?" Charlie asked. Chad settled himself down into her bed.**_

"_**Just want to cuddle with my favorite niece." Charlie shifted away from him. He pulled her closer.**_

"_**You're too close. I won't be able to sleep." She said, pulling the blankets around her tighter. He pulled them off of her. "What are you doing?"**_

"_**You need to be a good girl now." He said, pulling her shirt up. She pushed it back down.**_

"_**You need to go. I want to go to sleep." She said pulling away. He grabbed her and pulled her to him.**_

"_**You're going to do what I say!" He snapped, gripping her so hard she was sure she'd have bruises.**_

"_**Stop please!" She begged as he ripped her shirt over her head. **_The rest was just flashes of pain and the sound of him grunting and telling her what a good girl she was over and over. Flashes of his hand coming up and slapping her when she screamed.

"Where were your mom and dad?" Tristan asked, setting the picture down. Charlie pulled another picture out.

"They went out on a date. Mom took this picture while they were at the restaurant. It's the last picture that they were truly happy in." Charlie said, handing the picture to her. Tristan looked over the faces in the picture. The woman had a smile that lit up the entire picture; the man was looking at her like she was the greatest creation on Earth.

"Your mom is beautiful." Tristan said, running a finger over the picture.

"Yeah, she was." Charlie smiled. "But then they came home and found me curled in a ball under my bed, crying so hard I could barely breathe and Chad was gone. He'd left me there bruised, broken." Charlie's voice shook.

"I was taken to the hospital. They took lots of pictures." Charlie continued taking an envelope out of the box and pulling a stack of pictures out. She handed them to Tristan. "He gave me a black eye, busted my lip, broke two ribs on my left side." Charlie stopped, wiping a hand over the tears running down her face.

_**The nurses took her clothes. There were flashes from cameras and a doctor poking around between her legs. Her mom's face came into her line of vision.**_

"_**You're doing so good baby girl. It's almost over." She said.**_

"_**Carla." Her dad came into view. He led her mother away as another nurse came in and messed with Charlie's I.V. Charlie felt the doctor close her legs for her. She fell asleep right after that.**_

Tristan looked over the pictures and back up at Charlie.

"Why do I have a feeling that's not it?" She asked softly.

"Because it's not." Charlie said, pulling an ultrasound out of the box. "We found out about two months later he had gotten me pregnant. I was twelve, weighed eighty five pounds, hadn't even hit five foot yet and I was pregnant." Tristan stared at her, shocked.

"Didn't they give a pill or something to prevent that?" She asked.

"My parents didn't think I needed it. I'd only had my period once before it happened. What were the chances of me getting pregnant?" Charlie sighed. "Mom homeschooled me during the trial. Once that son of a bitch, pardon my French, was locked up, Dad moved us to Charming."

"Did you go to school here?" Tristan asked.

"Once Azalia was born yeah, but I was about to start eighth grade when she was born. How many pregnant seventh graders do you know?" Charlie asked, pulling more pictures out. Tristan saw Charlie sitting at a table doing home work with a very swollen belly. There were more ultrasounds and pictures of the baby's room that Charlie was decorating in the picture.

"When I was twenty eight weeks along I went into labor."

"Is that bad?"

"A woman is normally pregnant between thirty six and forty weeks. I was so small I couldn't carry the baby anymore. Azalia was twelve weeks early. Her lungs were underdeveloped and she only weighed two pounds seven ounces." Charlie said, pulling more pictures out. Tristan looked at them and saw Charlie leaning over an incubator a tiny body laying inside.

"Did she survive?"

"See for yourself." Charlie pulled more pictures out. Tristan looked over them to see the tiny baby being held, at home playing on the floor, as a toddler with a chocolate covered face. Charlie pulled the last picture out. It was the framed one. "Azalia is almost eighteen." Tristan looked at Azalia's school picture. Things were not making sense. Why was this woman telling her all this?

"There is a point to all this." Charlie said, collecting the pictures and putting them back in the box. "I blamed myself for all of it. Everything was my fault. I should've stopped him, it's my fault Azalia almost died, it's my fault we had to move across the country, it's my fault my parents were so unhappy. It took me a long time to accept that none of it was my fault. Chad was one hundred pounds heavier than me, how could I have stopped him? I shouldn't have gotten pregnant at twelve, how could it be my fault my body couldn't carry her long, though I still feel guilt about that. My parents, well they always told me they loved me and were so happy I was alive and well, they put me in therapy to cope with what happened. My mom stayed home with Azalia so I could finish school, dad worked two jobs to support all of us." Tristan watched Charlie as she set the box of photos on the floor.

"But this was my fault. I was so stupid going off alone where the guy could get me." Tristan said, tears pricking at her eyes. Charlie shook her head.

"None of it is your fault. The guy that did this to you, it's his fault. You didn't ask him to do this, to hurt you. This is not your fault." Charlie said, reaching forward and grabbing Tristan's hand. "You just have to remember that. He's a jackass and it's _not_ your fault. Repeat that in your head a thousand times a day if you have to, but make sure it sticks." Tristan shook her head.

"What if that doesn't work?" She asked, hand gripping Charlie's tightly.

"Then you talk to your mom or call me. Here, let me see your phone." Tristan handed it to her and Charlie quickly programmed her number in. "Any time you wanna talk, call me. I always have my phone on. Hazard of having two children." Tristan took her phone back and gave her a small smile.

"Do you want your mom in here now?" Charlie asked, climbing down off the bed. Tristan nodded. Charlie gave her a small smile, picking up her box and heading out the door. She told Tristan's mom that Tristan wanted her before taking off down the hall, finding the quietest corner she could and hiding. Charlie began to cry as she sank to the floor. Hale found her a few minutes later.

"You okay? Need me to call someone?" He asked, crouching down next to her. She shook her head, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She shot off a quick text and shooed the overbearing deputy away. She sat huddled in the corner, taking deep breaths. She heard the footsteps before she saw the body they were attached to. Gemma had finally gotten there. She didn't say anything just helped Charlie to her feet and led her out of the hospital.

_-_-_777_-_-_

Charlie woke the next morning bright and early. She rolled over and looked at the clock, it cheerfully said 7:30. Charlie groaned and rolled over, curling deeper into the covers. She took a deep breath to try to fall back asleep and smelled coffee instead. She followed her nose out of the bed and down to the kitchen. Rubbing her eyes, she was shocked to see Happy standing in her kitchen. She stared at him.

"How do you like your coffee?" He asked, pulling a mug out of the cabinet.

"Two packets of hot chocolate in it. What are you doing here?" She asked, sitting down on a bar stool at the island.

"I'm back in town for the day. Figured I should probably come talk to you." He rasped out, handing her the mug.

"Probably." She said, accepting the mug with a smile.

"You still pissed at me?" He asked. Charlie smiled softly.

"The coffee is helping your cause." She replied. She sipped at the coffee, hands wrapped around the mug, absorbing the heat from it.

"You doin' okay? The baby?" Happy asked, sitting next to her.

"Baby's fine. The doctors told me I'm about five weeks so that's right on track with the weekend we were supposed to go out and never made it out the front door." She said with a smirk. Happy grinned.

"That was a good weekend." He said. Charlie looked over at him.

"You know I was serious. If you want out tell me now and you're in the clear." She said, twirling a curl around her finger. Happy paused a moment, examining her face.

"You are something else. All the other guys, they get a girl pregnant, they never hear the end of it. You'd better take care of this baby, you helped make it. But you, you're giving me an out. Why?" He asked. Charlie thought about it.

"I've been a mom since I was thirteen. I didn't know how to be anything but a mom 'til I graduated high school. My whole world was Azalia and school. It wasn't 'til I started college that I had a life outside of motherhood and school. I met Jesse and got pregnant soon after we got together. Had Carson right after I turned nineteen, took me another three years to finish my associates. Got my bachelors after Carson started kindergarten and opened up the store right after that. I can handle a lot being on my plate because that's all I've ever known is being a crazy busy mom. So adding one more little one to the mix, just another day of the week for me." She said, staring down into her mug.

"Well I'm not going anywhere. Even if you don't want me, that's my kid and I'm gonna be there anyway it needs me to be." Happy said, lighting up a cigarette. Charlie delicately waved the smoke away as she felt her stomach turn. "It bother you?" He asked.

"I'm definitely pregnant. Cigarette smoke makes me nauseas and if I smoke I throw up." She said, he quickly stubbed the cigarette out. She shook her head.

"How's Z doing?" He asked. Charlie sighed.

"Still seeing Kip. I can't fight her on it anymore. It's exhausting. Plus he did all the labor for free on the truck. I don't like it but she turns eighteen in two weeks and then I really can't stop her." She said. Happy shook his head.

"She at the last party?" He asked, getting up and getting himself a Pepsi.

"Yeah. Not too thrilled but it's impossible to fight her on it." Charlie sighed. She sipped at her coffee, fingers twitching around the mug. The nicotine withdrawals were really getting to her. Happy reached over and took her hand in his.

Happy's hand was big enough that when she flattened her hand over his, he could curl his fingers over hers without moving her palm from its place over his. One thing Charlie had always loved was a tall muscular guy with hands much larger than hers. She looked up at him and met his gaze. His eyes blazed right into hers. She stared into his dark eyes and her stomach twisted. He was the only man she'd ever met that could see right into her soul. No one had ever turned her upside down like he had.

Happy met her gaze. He could see her eyes soften as she stared at him. Her eyes always intrigued him, they were the most expressive part of her. She never realized that even when she was acting like everything was fine, her eyes always showed exactly how she felt. He could see her sadness, a weight hanging over her. He could see the hope beginning to glimmer in her eyes as she looked at him. He leaned forward and kissed her.

Charlie sighed as his lips connected with hers. Her eyes fluttered shut as her hand rose up and cupped his jaw. His tongue swept along her lips asking for invitation. She parted them slightly allowing his tongue to sweep her mouth. She melted into him as his arms slid around her waist. He pulled her flush against him.

"Mom?" Carson's voice called down the hall, Charlie pulled away from Happy as Carson walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning baby." She said, picking up her coffee and sliding around the island to the fridge. "Do you want some breakfast?" Carson nodded as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He noticed Happy sitting at the island and went and sat next to him.

"Where have you been?" He asked the biker bluntly. Happy froze at the eleven year olds blunt statement?

"Around." He said evasively, looking over at Charlie.

"You want pop tarts this morning?" Charlie asked Carson, pulling a box out of the cupboard. Carson nodded still glaring at Happy.

"You know she's having a baby right?" Carson asked, accepting the breakfast pastry from his mother.

"_She_ is standing right here. And yes he does." Charlie said, raising an eyebrow at her son as her arms crossed over her chest. Carson glowered at the man sitting next to him. Charlie hid a smile by refilling her coffee cup. Carson was not pleased at Happy's disappearing act.

"Then why'd you leave for a week and not go to the doctor with her?" Carson continued, taking a savage bite out of the pop tart in his hand. Charlie laughed out loud at her son's audacity.

"She told me to leave." Happy said, not wanting to piss the kid off.

"And you listened?!" Carson exclaimed. "Wow you're dumb." Charlie choked.

"Carson! That's not polite!" She said, coughing. Happy stared dumbstruck at the dark haired eleven year old that had just called him dumb. If it had been an adult they'd have been laid out on the floor, but this kid did what no one else dared to.

"You'll learn something about girls, kid. The ones that matter, the good ones, when they say get lost you listen, 'til they say it's okay to come back." Happy said, looking at Charlie. She smiled at him before turning her gaze to Carson.

"Are you telling me you ignore what I say?" She asked severely, Carson cowering away from her glare.

"Of course not mommy I love you." He said, giving off puppy dog eyes.

"That's what I thought." Charlie said, Happy let out a chuckle.

"That's the other thing about the good ones. You don't rule them, they definitely rule you." Happy said, smiling at Charlie. She smirked at him, before pausing and turning to the hall leading to the stairs.

"Good morning sunshine." She said, brightly. Azalia appeared in the doorway, grumbling about the time.

"Morning all. There something caffeinated?" the teen asked, leaning over and resting her head on the counter.

"Coffee?" Charlie asked, listening to Carson laugh at his sister. Happy got up from the stool, reached over and snagged Azalia's arm, leading her to his vacated seat and planting her there. She planted the side of her face on the counter as Happy headed to Charlie's side.

"I should probably head out." He said, leaning down to kiss her.

"You gonna stop by later today?" She asked, accepting his kiss.

"If Clay lets me leave." He replied, taking the mug from Charlie's hand and setting it in front of Azalia. "Hey wake up coffee's ready." He said, tapping the teen on the head. She swatted at his hand before sitting up and picking up the mug. Charlie smiled at him as he headed out the door.

"Why was he here so early?" Azalia asked, drinking deeply of the mug in her hands. Carson grumbled through a bite of pop tart. Charlie chuckled at her son.

"He came over to talk." She said, "Opening statement was a mug of coffee." Azalia shook her head.

"You always were a sucker for coffee." She said, Carson made faces into the counter, much to the amusement of his mother and sister.

"Yes well, we've got some stuff to sort out and other stuff that is kinda fixed now." Charlie said. Azalia smiled.

"Well good to hear it." She said.

"Yes now, don't make plans for today." Charlie said, to both of her kids.

"Why?" Carson asked.

"'Cause today is a cleaning day." Charlie said gleefully. "No one is going anywhere until this house sparkles." The only sounds that followed were the groan of protest.

_-_-_777_-_-_

The next couple days passed without incident. Charlie had talked to Tristan over the phone, Azalia had even gone to the hospital and painted the girl's nails while watching some ridiculous Disney Channel movie. Carson had taken to curling up with his mom for a bit every day, usually right before bed.

"Carson." Charlie called up the stairs. He came trotting up to the top of the staircase. "I'm going to the hospital to see Abel and Tristan. You wanna come too or stay here?"

"I just wanna stay here mom. Can we have homemade cheeseburgers for dinner tonight?" He asked. Charlie smiled up at him.

"Sure thing baby. I'll be home around 5. I love you."

"Yeah yeah love you too." She heard as he turned and went back to his room. Charlie grabbed her purse and headed to her car.

Pulling into the hospital parking lot, Charlie's phone started ringing.

"I'm on my way into the hospital what's up Jumpin' Jax?" She answered.

"I hate when you call me that."

"I know but I like it." She replied cheekily.

"You coming to see Abel today?" He asked.

"Of course, dear. I want my baby time." She said, as she passed the visitor's desk and pressed the button to go up in the elevator.

"I'll see you there in five. Gotta question." He said, then ended the call. She rolled her eyes.

Making her way to the NICU, Charlie paused as she saw Tara Knowles approaching Abel's room. She hadn't seen the woman since high school. Tara had never been fond of Charlie, believing her to be after Jax. The fact that Charlie tended to get better grades than Tara hadn't helped. Charlie put a smile on and continued towards the nursery. Tara stopped her outside the door.

"Charlie Ryzdale. It's been a long time." She said, a look of contempt settling over her face. Charlie steeled herself.

"Tara Knowles. Back in town I see. And a big shot doctor. Impressive." She replied forcing her smile to stay bright and friendly. Tara smirked.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm here to see Abel. Jax is on his way to meet me." Charlie replied, making to go in. Tara blocked her path.

"This room is for family and medical personnel only." She said.

"Well than it's a good thing Jax put me on the list of family allowed to see my munchkin then huh?" Charlie said, sunnily. She turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Jax was making his way toward the two women.

"Charlie." He greeted dropping a brotherly kiss on the top of her head. "Tara. Everything okay with Abel?" He asked, concerned as to why she was blocking the entrance to Abel's incubator.

"Tara was just informing me of the NICU's visitors policy. Not that I need reminding." Charlie said, edging her way towards the door. Jax cocked his head.

"Charlie's on the list of visitors, Tara. Unless there's something wrong. I asked her to be here." He asked trying to gauge what was going on.

"Abel ran a bit of a fever last night. I don't think he needs to be exposed to too many people. Especially ones who aren't blood relatives and may not have the best interests of Abel at heart." Tara replied snarkily. Charlie's jaw hit the ground. Jax was staring incredulously at Tara.

"May not have Abel's best interest at heart." She spat. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Do you know how careful you have to be around a preemie with the level of complications that Abel has? Jax and Gemma have been working closely with us here to ensure the safest environment for Abel to heal. You haven't." Tara replied, using her doctor status to enforce her point. Jax was staring at Tara, unsure whether he should be happy about her level of concern for Abel, or pissed at the obvious brush off of Charlie, who knew better than him or Gemma what it was like to have a preemie.

"Okay princess." Charlie spat. Jax could practically see the steam pouring out Charlie's ears. "I've been a mom since before you had tits, you stupid bitch. So my suggestion for you, is to call Doctor Roger Carlisle. I do believe he's the head of all things pediatrics here. Your boss and tell him that Charlotte Ryzdale is being refused access to a patient that she has been approved to see based on your gut feeling that she is not fit to be around him. As a matter of fact I'll call him myself!" Charlie had gotten progressively louder as she went. The nurses had begun to poke their heads around the corner. Jax at this point had one arm wrapped around Charlie's shoulders and the other reaching for the door handle. Tara was in a state of shock at the ass chewing she had just received.

"Charlie Ryzdale?" A voice called out. Charlie spun around to see Dr. Carlisle approaching.

"Roger." She said, a tight smile crossing her face.

"Charlie why don't you go in and see little Abel." He said, "I've been expecting you since Gemma Morrow called and demanded that you have full access to her grandson." Charlie smiled and hugged the man. Jax stood there a moment slightly stunned at the battle of wills that had just occurred.

"Dr. Knowles, a word please." The older man said, calmly. Jax strode into the room where Charlie was currently cooing at his tiny son.

"What the hell Charlie?" He asked, dropping into the rocking chair. Charlie sighed.

"She's always hated me Jax. Since high school, she always thought that I was trying to take you away from her. Even though as much as I love you, it's in a totally platonic you're my older brother kind of way." She said, wiggling the finger Abel had grabbed onto.

"You've been like a sister to me for fifteen years Charlie. You'll be able to see my son in here. Don't worry about that. But I will be honest when I say, I'm glad she's that protective." Jax said. Charlie cracked a grin. Jax opened his arms.

"Come here little sister." He said. Charlie curled up on his lap and accepted his hug gratefully.

"I told you so." She cracked a grin.

"What do you mean by that?" Jax asked.

"Abel is getting stronger every day. You feel better and better each and every day too." Jax smiled and squeezed her as they sat and watched Abel cooing.


End file.
